Tangled
by Bella Mia
Summary: A plot to bring down one of the Wizarding world's prominent business leaders brings two friends back together after years of separation. But will their reunion be bittersweet? And what will happen when they realize nothing is as it seems? RH and HG!
1. Mission Briefing

**Chapter 1  
  
Mission Briefing**

A man sat outside, his knees tucked up against his chest while his arms hugged them loosely. There was a soft breeze that ruffled his hair gently as he sat under a tree looking out into the distance as the sun set. A warm, pink glow rested on the tops of the hills in the distance and if you looked hard enough, you could just see the beginnings of the stars peeking out from the sky.He took a deep breath in and closed his eyes. His stomach was twisting and turning inside as he tried to focus on something positive; anything to get his mind off of what he was about to do. But no matter how hard he tried, it seemed all he could think of was her. It was as if every happy thought, every memory, good or bad, was linked to her.The sound of a door slamming shut in the background caused his eyes to snap open. He didn't look back but he didn't need to. He already knew who was coming over towards him because he could smell the light perfume she wore floating over and lingering under his nose, teasing him. The soft crunching sound her shoes made on the dry grass came closer and closer and he could feel himself tense up._'Please God, let this really be the right thing...'_He felt her sit down next to him under the iridescent sky and look forward towards the horizon as he was. They sat quietly for a few moments, both comfortable in the silence and just being there together. That was something he had always taken for granted, the fact that they were so comfortable together and that there wasn't always the need for conversation. He absorbed as much of the moment as he could, knowing that this would probably be his last with her for a long while._'She'll hate me forever, but I have to do this... right?'__'Yes,' _another, stronger voice said to him. With another deep breath in, he finally turned to look at her. She still was looking forward, and the light from the sun bounced playfully off her hair and face. A small smile played across her lips as she felt his gaze upon her but she didn't look over. _'God, she's beautiful...'_"It's amazing, isn't it?""Hmm?" he shook his head as she spoke."The sunset. This night. This year. Everything. It's just simply...amazing...""Oh, right..." He looked back out at the horizon again, his mind a swirl of emotions."Are you all right?" She looked over at him, her face etched with worry."Couldn't be better," he lied. They sat there a couple more minutes, her watching the sunset, while he mustered up all the courage he could for what was to come._'It's now or never...'_"We need to talk."She turned her head to look at him, a slightly amused look on her face, "Is this why you asked me to meet you outside?""It's about us..."Her smile flickered a bit but she seemed unfazed. "Okay, what about us?"He turned away from her, unable to look into her eyes, "I can't do this anymore..."Her smile faded, "What do you mean? You can't do what?" His mouth was dry and he licked his lips nervously, trying to keep it together. She gently touched his shoulder, "You can tell me anything, you know that."_'God damnit, why does she have to be so wonderful?'_"I...I can't be with you anymore..."The silence that followed was deafening. He had thought that she would have started yelling at him or maybe even laughed but instead she just sat there, her hand still on his shoulder, unmoving."Look, things were fun while they lasted, but you can't actually think that this was serious, can you?"Her hand stiffened on his shoulder, and he knew he had hurt her. But if he was going to be a jerk, then damnit, he was going to be a jerk."What with school being over and Voldemort being gone, I need to move on. A fresh start you could call it. I can't deal with any old baggage." He laughed a short, cold laugh after this, but inside his mind was screaming for him to stop.She took her hand off of his shoulder. "Baggage... Is that all I am? Baggage?" her voice was quiet and slow, almost unwilling to say the word. He wanted to hold her, to tell her everything would be all right, but he refused to look back at her."We had fun while it lasted, but I'm young. It's not like we were going to get married or anything.."_'Yes you could... you wanted to...'_"I want to experience new things and new people, not be tied down to just one person."_'Stop. Just stop. You know you want to be with her, she was your first... your only...'_"But...what about... you were my... I thought..." she struggled to comprehend what was happening and tried hard to fight the oncoming tears that were forming behind her eyes.Again he gave a short, harsh laugh, "You mean that night? I know what you're thinking. Just like a typical girl, really. You're all about the romance and the 'happily ever after' aren't you? Honestly, you're a smart girl. How could you not have known?"She was quiet for a moment then said in just barely a whisper, "You said you loved me."His face hardened and although his head was screaming for him to stop, he replied casually, "I lied."_'You prat! You stupid, bull-headed prat! You **do **love her! Stop it! Don't you see what you're doing to her? To yourself?'_"I don't believe you," came her voice, stronger, almost defiant._'Now's your chance! Tell her she was right and that it's all a lie! Tell her!'_"Honestly—"but he was cut off as he felt her soft, tender, trusting hands turn his head to look her straight in the eyes. He looked down, fearing what would happen if he looked at her._'Look at her. Look at her face. She loves you! She'll forgive you if you just say something now!'_"If you mean what you say, then tell it to my face. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't love me. That I was nothing more than just some object you decided to see if you could get," her voice was steady and controlled. She seemed neither scared nor angry but unwavering.He slowly brought his eyes up to meet hers. Her face was determined but her eyes were soft. He could tell that behind her brave front, she was on the verge of tears and all it would take was a few words from him to break down that wall and shatter her heart."Well?"Looking straight into her eyes, he took a deep breath and then said the four words that he would regret for the rest of his life,"I don't love you..."

----------------

"NO!!!!!!"Beads of sweat were rolling down his forehead and he was trembling as he jolted upright in his bed. His breath was ragged and uneven and it took him a good minute or so before he could regain his composure. He looked over at the clock on the nightstand. 4:30 A.M. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the cool backboard of his bed, trying to erase the images burning inside of him._'Damn dream...'_ he thought angrily. This wasn't the first time he had replayed that memory before either. Oh no, it had been a nightly occurrence for weeks after it had happened. As time went on, it became a bit more scattered with its appearances, but still it plagued him, even three years after it had happened.He ran a shaky hand through his hair then brought it down to his neck, leaving it there for a moment. Finally, knowing that trying for more sleep was hopeless, he pushed off the comforter to his bed and got out. He took a shower, letting the cold water wake him up and wash away the remnants of the night before, then got out and brushed his teeth and his hair before changing into his work robes.His small flat was starting to fill with sunlight as he walked out to the kitchen area and started to make some coffee. As he filled a mug with the steaming, black liquid, a small owl showed up in the window with a letter tied to its leg. After untying the letter and then giving the owl a treat before it left, he unrolled the parchment and read its short contents._Come into the Ministry at 7:00 sharp this morning so you may be briefed on your mission. You will be starting immediately so please bring any personal belongings of yours along with you. __   
  
_  
**K. Shacklebolt **He checked his watch. 6:30 already. _'Oh, how time flies...'_After packing a small suitcase full of things and with ten minutes to spare, he grabbed his wand and Apparated into the main building of the Ministry. It was funny how even though he had been working for them for just over three years now that he had almost never spent any of it actually inside the building. This was because he had to go through three long, hard years of training, however now that he was done with it, he had expected and almost hoped that he would get to work at a boring desk job for just a short while, but going out on an actual mission for his first assignment wasn't anything to complain about and he knew it. Most new Aurors didn't get assigned anything like this for years after working for the Ministry.He stepped into one of the lifts and waited until he heard the cool sounding woman's voice call out, "Level two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters, and Wizengamot Administration Services."Walking past the many doors which ran down the long corridor, he looked around briefly at the different people and rooms he passed. Looking out a window, he could see that it was hailing, meaning that the Magical Maintenance crew was still trying to work out proper pay raises. Just as he was within ten feet of Kingsley's door to his office, he felt a heavy hand clap onto his shoulder and a deep voice say, "Ronald Weasley..."Ron turned around, a smile tugging at his lips as he looked down into the face of his friend, Harry Potter, "And what are you doing here so early in the morning?""I was just about to ask you the same thing, mate," Harry smiled warmly and brought his hand off of Ron's shoulder."Kingsley owled me this morning saying that I needed to be here at 7:00 sharp so I could be briefed on my new mission. What about you?""Same as you actually. I wonder if he's going to put us on the same job. But then again, Sean and Lisa are both here too, as well as Tony, so you never know..."Ron groaned, "Lisa's here? _Now_?"Harry chuckled, "Now, now Ron, you weren't acting this way about her just two weeks ago. In fact, if I remember correctly, you seemed to want to have her around.""Yeah, and if I ever do that again, please do us all a favor and kill me. Honestly, I can't believe I let myself get that out of hand...""Hey, you were having a rough night. It happens to the best of us. Speaking of which, how are you feeling?"Ron shrugged, "As well as to be expected I s'pose. God, can you believe that it's already been three years?"Harry nodded, "Yeah, it's hard to believe sometimes," he looked down at his watch, "Oh, damn. It's already 7:05. So much for 7:00 sharp...""We'd better move it before Kingsley kicks us off the mission before we even start."Both men quickly walked down to the end of the corridor and opened the door to Kingsley Shacklebolt's office. Inside were Sean McLean, a tall, black haired, thirty-something Irish man, Anthony "Tony" DeVerza, a robust man in his early forties with thick eyebrows and a hearty laugh, and Kingsley Shacklebolt himself sitting behind a desk. The man hadn't changed much from the first time that Ron and Harry had first met him when they were 15. He was still the tall, bald, black man they had known for six years, the only difference being that there were a few more wrinkles on his once young face and also quite a few more scars."You're late," he spoke in his low, rumbling voice as they walked in."Sorry—"they both started but stopped abruptly as he raised his hand to silence them."Now that everyone is here, I think it would be a good idea to get started." He stood up and turned to a file cabinet by his desk, pulling out two rather large files, and handed one to both Tony and Sean. "Inside of those folders are the orders for each of your assignments," Kingsley stated as he sat back down again, looking at the four men in front of him. "You four will not all be working together directly, but don't look so discouraged Ron," He directed this towards the two of them, "I know better than to split up the 'dream team' completely." He smiled warmly, "Both of these missions are linked together, so it is only appropriate that I should ask for all of you to be here while I tell you all the details. Now Sean, if you would be so kind as to open your folder," Sean opened it and inside found different pieces of paper, a map, and a dozen or so pictures all of different men and women staring menacingly up at him. "As you can see, you have an enchanted map of England with instructions on how to use it, as well as 15 or so profiles on different witches and wizards that we are after either for arrest or questioning."Now as you all probably know, we have been investigating a secret organization that call themselves the I.W.P. or the Ill Will Press for several months now. They are thought to be a small group of money-hungry individuals who have been behind some of the recent money laundering scandals as well as the break-in's to some of England's most prominent Wizarding companies.""Any idea as to who the leader is?" Sean asked while flipping through the pile of scowling pictures. Harry and Ron stood behind the two seated men, trying to get a better look at the contents of the folders."Unfortunately, no. However, I have every belief that you and Harry will do a fine job of finding him, as well as the others, for us.""You want me to help, sir?" Harry asked, shocked. He couldn't believe that he had been given such a huge task for his first assignment as an Auror."I want you to work with Sean, yes. Both Tony and Sean will be heading the search for these different men and women while you two will help each man with the separate assignments. I know you can handle it being that you were the top two from your training group. There's also a lot that you can learn from working with experienced Aurors like Tony and Sean. I trust these two men very much and I know that you two will do well."Ron and Harry couldn't believe their ears. Here they were, two of the newest Aurors to the ministry and already they were being put out on the field to work on one of the biggest cases of the year!"So what have you got planned for us then?" Tony asked, referring to Ron and himself. Ron perked up a bit at the prospect of being given an exciting job like looking for a group of power-hungry criminals and bringing them down in a heroic fashion."Your mission, like I said before, is closely related to the one I have assigned for Sean and Harry, however it is also very different." Kingsley stood up and went over to his window where the hail seemed to have changed into something more of a blizzard, "If you open up your folder, you will find information about a certain Christopher Rhiney.""Hold on," Ron started, "THE Christopher Rhiney? The business tycoon? What's he got to do with anything?" He stared down at the picture that Sean had just pulled out of the folder. The man in the photo had a very Lockhart- ish appeal to him. He had light, wavy brown hair and big, brown eyes that seemed to twinkle even from the picture. He had a strong jaw and clean- shaved face, as well as a brilliant smile that would have put Lockhart to shame. He looked young; probably just barely 24 by the look of it, and yet he didn't seem cocky, which for a man of his wealth and position, was a very rare thing."Obviously you've heard of him.""Well, who hasn't? He just happens to practically own half of wizard London, along with the fact that he has the largest import/export company in Europe. He was named Witch Weekly's Richest Man in the U.K. and just beat Harry for the spot for most Eligible Bachelor." A somewhat stunned silence met this outburst of information and Ron could feel himself go red. "Blame Ginny. She always has that damn magazine lying around the Burrow. Plus, she's practically obsessed with the man..."Kingsley chuckled softly and turned back towards the group, "Well, then it is a good thing that I chose you for this assignment Weasley. What with your knowledge of the man already, I shouldn't have to tell you much, will I?""But Sir, I still don't see what he has to do with any of this," Tony said."Well as you already know, Rhiney is one of the wealthiest business men in all of Europe as well as the world. It just makes sense then that he has now become the new target for the I.W.P. doesn't it? Inside your folder is a copy of the letter that was sent to Mr. Rhiney just two weeks ago."Tony took out the parchment and studied it before handing it back to Ron who read over it carefully before putting it back into the folder."So the I.W.P. sent this to him and now he's worried about getting hurt?" Tony asked."Basically. If this had been something completely unrelated to the I.W.P. file, then we wouldn't have been involved. However, as soon as I learned of the circumstances of this particular case, I saw that we might just have a break in the I.W.P. case. If we can follow Mr. Rhiney and be there when the I.W.P. strike, then we may be able to stop them before they can do any more damage.""So what? You want us to follow him around?" Ron asked skeptically."No. I want you two to live with him." This time the silence that followed this announcement was not one from shock but rather of confusion."Live with him, Sir?" Tony questioned finally."Yes. You and Ron are to go and stay with Mr. Rhiney while there is still a threat to himself and his organization. I need there to be people close to him at all times to make sure that all his transactions go smoothly and also to report if there is any odd behavior or anything suspicious happening. With you two there to watch him and his affairs, we are almost guaranteed the capture of some of the members of the I.W.P."He looked over at the clock on the wall and his eyes widened slightly, "Damn. 7:30 already. Look, I have full confidence that you four are more than capable of handling these assignments. If there are any more questions, you may owl me at any point, however now I must get going. I have a meeting in ten minutes that I cannot be late for." As he stood, the other four men in his office followed in suit. "Weasley. DeVerza. You are expected to be at Mr. Rhiney's house at about 12:00. All four of you must make sure to talk to Lisa before you leave, however. She is your check-back point here at the Ministry and you are to contact her for not only changes in your duties but also if anything happens."He grabbed a long cloak and headed for the door. Before leaving the room, he turned around and said, "Good luck." After a couple of seconds, the four men eventually filtered out of the office and back into the corridor."Ron, Harry. We'll meet you over at Lisa's office in a minute. Sean and I have some discussing to do but we will talk to you later." With that, Tony and Sean turned and headed over towards Tony's office."Well, I guess we should go..." Harry started."Yeah. Better to get it done with now..." Ron said glumly."I don't know why you are acting so unhappy. This is huge! We're working on one of the biggest cases of the year!"Ron snorted, "No, Iyou'reI working on one of the biggest cases of the year while I'm stuck playing babysitter to some rich, Lockhart wannabe.""Oh come off it, Ron. What you're doing is just as important as what I'm doing and you know it."They approached Lisa's office and stopped outside the door, "Maybe. But I can't help but wish that I could be out there with you mate. Out where all the action is.""Well, if you really want some action Ron, why didn't you just ask?" a soft, sultry voice chimed in.Both men turned towards the door and found themselves face to face with Lisa Bremmer. She was a petite woman, just reaching 5'3" when compared to Ron's almost 6' frame and Harry's 5'9" build. However when you looked at her, you would never have guessed her height mainly because she was never seen without a pair of ridiculously high stilettos. Her hair was long and bleached and pulled up into a high ponytail and she wore a dark red lipstick and matching red nail polish that gleamed devilishly. Her robes were a dark green color that was almost black and very tight and low cut. Her eyes were gray and as she looked up into Ron's blue ones, had a suggestive glint behind them. Ron grimaced as he looked down into her eager face."Good morning, Lisa," Harry greeted politely."I don't know why you try so damned hard to find action out in the world, Ron. All you have to do is go to the right person..." she continued on as if Harry hadn't said anything."Well, then I guess I haven't found the right person yet," Ron replied stiffly. He had never cared much for the suggestive secretary and especially since the incident two weeks ago, Ron found that more than ever he wanted to stay away from this woman."That's a shame, but maybe you'll change your mind... You seemed pretty willing only a couple weeks ago.""Look, can you just give us the rest of our mission info so we can go?" Ron asked heatedly."I can't. Not until your mission leaders come back at least." She smiled playfully and walked back into her office. "Why don't you two come in and take a seat. Relax. I won't bite. I promise." She smiled sweetly and pointed to the two chairs in front of her desk. With a quick glance toward one another, they finally walked in and sat down."So Harry, how about you? Anyone spark your interest lately?"Harry looked over towards Ron quickly and then chuckled, "No, can't say that anyone has.""What's the problem? None fitting of your standards? Or is it maybe that you are just a little shy?" She giggled lightly, "I do believe that it was Mae West who said 'He who hesitates is a damned fool'."Harry merely smiled and replied, "You can pretend to be serious; you can't pretend to be witty."Ron snorted and grinned while Lisa's smile vanished off her face. However a knock at the door stopped all further conversation pertaining to any of their love lives as Sean and Tony entered the room."Sorry 'bout makin' you wait," Sean said as he walked in. "So Lisa. What have you got for us?"Lisa who had recovered somewhat merely said, "Just more detailed versions of what Shacklebolt told you earlier, plus some rules and regulations as to what you can and can't do, say, etcetera, etcetera. You know the drill boys. Basically, all you have to know is that whenever you do something that affects your mission, you need to notify the Ministry, namely myself, so that it can be cleared and covered. Now in your case," she said indicating Ron and Tony, "Since you two are supposed to be watching over Mr. Rhiney 24/7, there are a few more things that apply to you that don't apply to Mr. McLean and Mr. Potter. For example, you are to have at least one of you within a reasonable distance of Mr. Rhiney at all times, while the other can go off to do investigating, or whatever tickles your fancy."Really boys, just use your common sense and no one will have to worry about Shacklebolt's foot being shoved up their arse because they didn't follow protocol.""Duly noted, Lisa," Tony laughed. "So are we free to go?""Yes, just take these mission planers and you are free to go." As the four of them got up to leave, Lisa called out to Ron who spun around before exiting, "Oh and Ron? Good luck with finding your 'action'." She winked and he walked out, shaking his head."Blimey..." he muttered to himself."I guess I'd better watch out. From the way she was acting around you, I might have to worry about losing my spot as second most eligible bachelor.""Oh, bugger off Harry," Ron replied grumpily."Aw, it's all right mate. You're a good man and I don't mind sharing the title with you.""_Good bye_, Harry," Ron said pointedly.Harry laughed, "I'll see you later, Ron. Try to Floo me if you can.""I will. See ya, Harry."As he watched Harry go meet up with Sean, Ron breathed in a deep sigh and turned back to Tony."So rookie, are you ready to go?"He sighed again, "Let's go."

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Just review, that's all I ask.


	2. Rhiney Manor

**Chapter 2  
  
Rhiney Manor**

****  
  
Ron sat in the passenger seat of the Ministry van, directions in his hand, while Tony drove. It seemed that this Christopher Rhiney liked his privacy and indeed, as Tony and Ron drove through a rural area about two hours outside of London, they could see that this man was not one for having his location known.  
  
The two men hadn't actually left the Ministry until 9:30 that morning after finishing last minute paperwork and getting a ministry van. Usually, they would be able to Apparate to whatever destination they had to go to but Mr. Rhiney had specifically requested that they, "Arrive by van so as not to give away too much information as to the whereabouts of his location."  
  
Ron had scoffed at the man's overly-secretive manner and even thought it a bit odd that he would rather have them drive than Apparate when driving gave them the exact directions on how to get there, but didn't say anything knowing that it wasn't his decision. He stared out the window at the stretch of grass that lay before him. It was a beautiful September morning. The sky was a brilliant blue and there were patches of clean, white clouds rolling lazily across it. A few cows grazed on the tall grass and barely acknowledged the car driving by. Ron let out a large yawn and could feel the affects of the night before catching up with him. '_More like the affects of the past three years...'_ he thought bitterly.  
  
Yes, the last three years had been rough. However, it wasn't just the constant moving due to Auror training that had been his source of sleepless nights and early mornings. Even after his defeat, Voldemort's presence seemed to loom over the world as the after-affects of the war came into play. And then there was her...  
  
Ron shook his head violently, trying to rid all thoughts of her out of his mind. '_It's over. It's been over for a while and it's time to move on. You have a job to do.'  
  
_He looked forward out into the distance again and felt his jaw drop. A large mansion stood off in the distance, complete with a large, brass gate allowing entrance to only those who were permitted, ornate fountains, and hedges cut into the shapes of different animals. It seemed to be two stories but must have had two dozen windows in the front of the house alone along with a long, winding driveway leading up to the front. The mansion itself was a gleaming white, with large pillars in the front entryway and just visible around the back was a large garden area, complete with a built in pond and large swimming pool.  
  
"So, you like it then?" Tony chuckled at Ron's expression. "He sure does know how to live, doesn't he?"  
  
"No kidding..." Ron mumbled, still staring at the building in front of him.  
  
As they drove up to the gate, Tony slowed the car and rolled down his window. Instantly, they heard a voice cool, female voice, much like the one at the Ministry say, "Please state your name and business."  
  
"Tony DeVerza and Ron Weasley. We're Aurors and are here on official Ministry business by request of Mr. Christopher Rhiney." There was a short silence then a small "Ping!" noise as the gates were opened.  
  
"Thank you and welcome to Rhiney Manor."  
  
Tony pulled the van up the driveway and stopped in front of the building. Both men grabbed their bags out of the back and walked up the front steps to the door. Up close, the mansion was even more massive and impressive than before. A large, brass knocker in the shape of a menacing panther sat in the middle of the door and Tony grabbed it, knocking it three times. Almost immediately, the front door swung open revealing a small, elderly man beckoning them in.  
  
"Ah yes. Good of you to come," he piped cheerfully. He showed them into the large foyer where there was a large, spiral staircase that led up to the upstairs which had a balcony that looked out over the foyer and halls in both directions. The floor was made of beautiful, grey granite that sparkled as the sunlight hit it and a small hallway to their left while to the right, there was a large dining room which then lead into an even larger living room.  
  
The little man who was dressed in dark black robes bowed deeply in a manner that reminded Ron strongly of the little house elf, Dobby. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Benson, and I am the head of Mr. Rhiney's staff here. I have been asked to show you into the living room while Mr. Rhiney finishes up some business in the other room." With that he turned to his right and walked through the dining room and into the Living Room closely followed by the two gaping Aurors.  
  
The room was even more beautiful than the last, with long paneled windows that stretched upwards towards the ceiling and had long, draping curtains tied off to the sides, and a beautiful stone fireplace with a glass coffee table and luxurious, sand-colored chairs and a matching sofa next to it. The walls had many moving pictures along them that all started whispering and pointing as soon as Ron and Tony walked in and also tall book shelves packed full with books and small trinkets. There was a large grandfather clock on the wall that showed the time 12:10 while in another corner of the room sat a glass wizard's chess set on a small, carved ebony table.  
  
Ron stared around the room in awe. He couldn't believe that a man this young could have acquired so much in so little time. How could any person be this rich? Before he could come up with different theories, the sound of footsteps coming towards the room broke his train of thought and Ron looked up just as Christopher Rhiney walked in.  
  
Just like in the picture, he was very good looking, wearing nothing short of the best midnight blue robes that money could buy. His hair was perfect and fell softly onto his brow, his brown eyes gleaming much like they had from the picture Ron had seen before. He was tall; not as tall as Ron, but falling just a few inches short of him. Smiling widely as he entered the room, he held his hand out in a warm greeting, "Hello! Sorry about making you wait. I'm afraid that there was some urgent business to attend to. Anyway, welcome to my humble home!" He shook both Tony and Ron's hands enthusiastically and flashed another brilliant smile, "I must tell you how very grateful I am to you for doing this for me. I know it must seem a little out of the way, but I am in debt to you both."  
  
"It's no problem, really Mr. Rhiney," Tony said politely.  
  
"Oh please, call me Chris. Mr. Rhiney sounds so official." He turned back towards the door where Benson stood. "Benson, would you be so kind as to take...er, I do believe I forgot to ask your names..." Chris blushed slightly.  
  
"I'm Tony DeVerza and this is Ron Weasley."  
  
"Well then, Benson, if you would please take Mr. DeVerza's and Mr. Weasley's luggage up to their rooms so that I may show them around the house."  
  
"Certainly, sir." And with another deep bow, Benson left the room to collect the forgotten bags in the foyer.  
  
"So gentlemen. If you would please follow me, I will try to give you a short tour of the house." He led them out of the living room and into the large dining room. "Now the doors straight ahead of you are back out to the foyer as you know while the doors to you left lead into the kitchens. If ever you need anything, please feel free to take whatever you want from in there. However, when he's here, Cook will be more than willing to help you with whatever you may need." He then lead them back out into the foyer and pointed, "If you go down that hallway and through the door at the end, that is where my study is. I do most of my business in that room. There's also an extra loo and a coat closet along that hall in case you are in need of either."  
  
He started walking up the stairs, followed closely by both Ron and Tony, "And up here are the bedrooms. Down to your left is the master bedroom where I stay but these two bedrooms here are both yours." There were three rooms, two right next to each other, the other, like Christopher's, at the opposite end of the hall. Leading them into one of the two rooms, they could see that it was spacious and beautifully decorated with earth toned walls and a plush, white carpet. A large, four-post bed sat against a wall with a small oak nightstand next to it. "Both of these rooms are practically identical and, like the other bedrooms in the manor, have their own bathrooms, walk in closets and fireplaces which are hooked up to the Floo network."  
  
They walked out of the room onto the balcony again and headed downstairs towards the backyard. Outside, the sun was shining and there was a light breeze. The backyard was massive; the garden seemed to stretch out forever, with a beautiful pond filled with small fish and a fountain, along with a great pool in the middle of the yard. To the side was a smaller, cottage like building, which Chris pointed to and said, "That house over there belongs to Benson. He is the only man on my staff who stays here 24/7 so I felt it only appropriate to give him his own living accommodations."  
  
Heading back into the living room, there was a knock on the door and Benson came in, "Sir?"  
  
Christopher smiled, "Ah yes, perfect timing, as always..." he looked back at the two men sitting on the sofa, "If you two would excuse me for just a moment, I'll be right back." He swept out of the room, closing the door behind him and leaving Ron and Tony in there.  
  
"Blimey..."  
  
"You're telling me," Ron replied.  
  
"How did he get it all I wonder? And so young? I've been an Auror for almost 20 years and I still wonder sometimes if I would just be better off getting another job. At least then I'd be able to see my wife and kids more often."  
  
"Do we know anything about his past? What about his parents? Maybe he inherited the money..."  
  
"Whatever his secret is, I'd sure like to know. Maybe I could cash in..."  
  
As Tony contemplated this to himself, Ron looked around the room again. The whole house was so massive that Ron felt a bit uncomfortable. He'd never seen so much wealth before, and now he, Ron Weasley, was going to be living here? It seemed almost surreal.  
  
He looked at the different books on the shelves, scanning their titles carelessly when he came across one that caught his eye. '_It can't be...'_ He stood up and walked over to the bookshelf and pulled out the book staring at it, amused.  
  
In his hands, Ron was holding a much worn copy of 'Hogwarts, A History'. He couldn't believe it his eyes. _'Bloody hell! I haven't seen one of these since I was 18...'_ He went to open it but stopped as he felt something brush against his leg, causing him to jump slightly. Putting the book back, he looked down to see what had just touched him and saw a large cat rubbing its head against his leg, purring loudly.......  
  
_'That's not just any cat...'   
_  
The bright orange tabby looked up at Ron and purred even louder than before. Ron stared uncertainly, unsure of what he was seeing. _'It can't be... It just **can't**... it doesn't make **sense**...'_ But despite his better judgment, he could feel himself start to clamp up slightly and in just barely a whisper, asked, "Crookshanks?"  
  
The cat meowed loudly this time, causing Ron to yelp and jump backwards. Tony looked up at him confused. "Ron, what—"  
  
However before he could finish there was a loud knock on the door and Chris came in. "Gentlemen, there's someone I'd like for you to meet. Now, I know that Mr. Shacklebolt never told you this, but that was my fault. You see, there was a fire and, well, everything happened so quickly that I just forgot to mention it at all." He smiled warmly, "It seems there has been a small change in the details of your mission."  
  
"Change..?" Tony asked apprehensively.  
  
"Yes. You see, since her flat burned down, it seemed only natural that I should ask her to stay with me."  
  
"She?" Ron choked.  
  
"Yes, my girlfriend." He smiled brightly again, letting every single one of his teeth show.  
  
"Girlfriend?" came the squeaked response from Ron. This wasn't good...  
  
Chris frowned slightly, "I hope that this won't be a problem. She's a lovely girl, really. Beautiful, talented, smartest witch you'll ever meet... oh, what am I saying? Let me get her in here!" He turned out into the hallway and when he returned, Ron felt himself pale.  
  
There, standing in the doorway was the last person he had ever thought he would see again.  
  
"Tony DeVerza, Ron Weasley. I would like you to meet my girlfriend, Hermione Granger."  
  
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Again, all I ask for is a small review for all my hard work....


	3. Room Floo

**Chapter 3  
  
Room Floo**

****   
  
Ron stormed up the stairs, taking two at a time, walked into his bedroom, and shut the door, trying hard not to slam it in the process. Blood pumped through his veins rapidly and he breathed heavily as he paced around the room.  
__

_'Bloody hell...'_ he thought angrily, _'Bloody **hell**!'_  
  
He threw himself down on his bed, trying hard not to yell out in frustration._'How could she do this? **How**!?_ _And then to just **sit** there!!'_ Ron punched one of his pillows violently. _'**Bloody hell!!**'  
_  
He replayed the scene from downstairs in his mind and punched his pillow again, causing a few, white feathers to float up and out, landing gently around his bed...  
  
------------  
  
Chris frowned slightly, "I hope that this won't be a problem. She's a lovely girl, really. Beautiful, talented, smartest witch you'll ever meet... oh, what am I saying? Let me get her in here!" He turned out into the hallway and when he returned, Ron felt himself pale.  
  
There, standing in the doorway was the last person he had ever thought he would see again.  
  
"Tony DeVerza, Ron Weasley. I would like you to meet my girlfriend, Hermione Granger."  
  
Ron was frozen. He couldn't breathe and felt as if all the air had been knocked out of him. There she stood right in front of him. Hermione Granger; his ex-girlfriend and love of his life that he had pushed away violently and left to deal with the pain by herself. She looked even more beautiful than he had remembered. Her hair was still bushy, but her curls seemed more defined and silky to the touch. She had some of it pulled back into a ponytail while the rest lay lightly on her shoulders. She was wearing Muggle clothing; a knee-length, corduroy skirt in a deep blue and a black high-neck, three-quarter length shirt. Her boots were trendy and had small with silver buckles on the sides, and on her right hand was a pretty silver bracelet. Her cheeks were slightly rosy from the wind outside, and it gave her a skin a beautiful glow. Her eyes were still the dark, deep brown they had been but somehow as Ron stared into them, they seemed to have lost something that had once been there before, but as she looked at the two men standing in front of her, she smiled brightly, unfazed.  
  
Looking straight at Ron, she smiled even bigger and stuck out her hand for him, "It's a pleasure to meet you both." Ron gaped at her, numb inside and unable to grasp at any of the emotions that surged through him but that of shock. i'_What the hell? Does she **actually** not recognize me?'  
_  
However, as he slowly brought his hand to shake hers, he saw a flicker in her eye and could have sworn that a small frown met her beautiful lips for just a moment before she turned to Tony to shake his hand.  
  
_'No, she knows who I am. But why hasn't she said anything? How can she act so—so...**calm**!?' _He stared at her in disbelief. How was it that she was able to act as if he were nothing more than a mere stranger whom she was meeting for the first time? How could she _ignore_ him like this!? Ron could feel a surge of fury run through his body as he watched her cheerfully shake Tony's hand. It wasn't fair! Why did he have to be the one barely able to contain himself while she was able to act so poised and perfect? _'Damnit!'_ he thought furiously. _'Damn this mission, damn this day and **damn her**! If she wants to act this way, then fine! Two can play at this game...'_ And with that, Ron put on his best smile and stared pointedly at Chris and Hermione.  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Granger," Tony said politely after shaking her hand.  
  
"Oh please, call me Hermione. I couldn't stand it if you called me Ms. Granger. It makes me feel like my mum." She laughed lightly and again, Ron could feel his blood boil, however, this time, accompanied by a slight fluttering feeling in his stomach.  
  
"Speaking of which, how is your mum? Did you have a good time shopping with her?" Chris asked, guiding Hermione into one of the overly-stuffed chairs and signaling to Benson who then hurried quickly and quietly out of the room.  
  
"Oh she's fine. We had a lovely time actually. We even went out for a bit of lunch after."  
  
Chris sat in a chair next to her, looking adoringly at Hermione. "Hermione's parents are Muggles."  
  
"Then that would explain the Muggle clothing," Tony walked over to the sofa and sat down. Ron followed, sitting directly across from Hermione.  
  
"Yes. It's not that my parents aren't used to wizard robes or anything, but I have a feeling that the rest of London would have found it a bit odd." She smiled warmly again and looked over at Chris. "And how about you? How has your day been so far?"  
  
"As to be expected, love," Ron grunted slightly but covered it with a small cough, "I had a little bit of business to attend to before our guests arrived and then I showed both Ron and Tony around the house." Chris took her hand into his and stroked it lovingly with his thumb. Ron gripped the sofa, causing his knuckles to turn stark white.  
  
Benson then re-entered the room, this time carrying a silver tray with a tea pot and mugs, as well as small sandwiches, plates and napkins. "Thank you, Benson," Chris said to the old man who then bowed and exited the room.  
  
"I know you all must be hungry, well all except you, love, since you already ate," he added looking back at Hermione, "but please feel free to have some." He gestured to the food in front of them and then grabbed a plate himself. "Tea?" he asked Hermione, who politely declined.  
  
Tony grabbed a plate for himself, but when he offered Ron some, Ron shook his head. Even though his stomach growled in protest, he felt he had lost his appetite as he sat staring at Christopher's hand still holding Hermione's.  
  
Tony then turned to her, "So, Hermione. What happened to cause you to come and live with Chris? I think he mentioned something about a fire."  
  
"Well, you see, I used to own a flat over in London, but just about a week ago, it burned down unexpectedly. It was quite scary. I was still inside when it happened. I just remember one minute being in my room reading and then the next, I smelled smoke. And the fire moved so quickly too; almost as if it had been enchanted. I just barely was able to grab my cat and the book I was reading and get out alive."  
  
Ron smirked slightly, "That explains the book..."  
  
All heads turned in his direction, somewhat taken aback by his sudden comment. Hermione looked confused, "What do you mean?"  
  
Ron tried to shrug it off, "I noticed an old copy of Hogwarts, A History over on one of the shelves, that's all."  
  
"How could you have known it wasn't Chris' though?" Hermione asked innocently. She wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily. If he was going to play with the big boys, then he was going to have to prove himself worthy.  
  
"I—er," He thought quickly, "Well, when I opened it, I noticed that there was feminine handwriting inside, that's all." _'Nice save,'_ he thought to himself and grinned cheekily back at her.  
  
"That sounds awful all the same," Tony replied sympathetically. "Did the Ministry have any idea what caused the fire?"  
  
"Unfortunately, no. At first they thought it might have been candles that started it, but being that I didn't _have_ any candles inside my flat and also how quickly the fire spread..."  
  
"The fact of the matter is that the Ministry has yet to really look into it and find out what the hell happened," Chris said fiercely. "I know that I won't feel better until I know who did this to Hermione and see that they get punished to the full extent of the law!" Hermione looked at him consolingly and Ron inwardly rolled his eyes.  
  
"Well, I know that it has been very nice meeting you Hermione and I know I speak for both Ron and myself when I say that it will be a pleasure staying here with the both of you for the next few weeks or so." Tony stood up and smiled warmly, "Now if you could please excuse me, I think I should go send off a letter to the Ministry letting them know of this small change in plans."  
  
Hermione looked slightly worried, "I'm not causing any problems, am I?"  
  
"No, not at all. Just part of protocol."  
  
"Good." She smiled again, "Well, I'm sure that Chris has already let you know how grateful he is to the both of you for doing this, but I know that I am also very thankful. This means a lot to me that you are willing to come and help." She looked at Chris affectionately, "These are frightening times for us right now, but I have every reason to believe that you two will keep us safe and help catch the men and women who are doing this."  
  
"That's our job, ma'am," Tony smiled and then politely said goodbye before heading out the doors.  
  
"I'm afraid that I'll have to steal away for just a moment also." Chris stood up, "I'll be back in just a minute." He leaned down and quickly kissed Hermione on the forehead then walked out of the room, leaving just Ron and Hermione together.  
  
She continued to act as if nothing were happening and Ron could feel his temper reaching its limit. He glared at her pointedly, but she just looked out the window at the bright, September day.  
  
"So..." he finally said after what seemed like an eternity, "_So_..."  
  
She looked over at him as if she didn't have any idea what he was talking about. "Yes?" she asked politely.  
  
"Oh come off it, Hermione," he spat angrily. He could feel his temper starting to boil over.  
  
She just smiled sweetly and replied, "I don't believe I know what you're talking about..."  
  
"For Merlin's sake Hermione, you know damn well what I'm talking about!!" he was breathing heavily now and could feel his blood pumping through his body.  
  
Her smile vanished, "So what if I do? What do you want me to say?" She put on a fake, cheery tone, "Oh, hello Ron! It's so nice to see you! Goodness, it's been ages!" She scratched her chin, pretending to be trying hard to remember something, "Yes, I do believe the last time we spoke was when you viciously broke my heart and then left me all alone, broken and used, but lets not think about that and just act like we're best friends again!" She rolled her eyes and replied sarcastically, "Oh yes, _there's_ a brilliant idea..."  
  
He cringed slightly but continued angrily nonetheless, "Well, you could at least act like you know me rather than ignore me! It's not like I planned for this to happen!"  
  
"And what about me? Do you think that I would have thought for a moment that you would be the one to come here?!? And what about Chris? How do you suggest I explain this lovely little situation to him, hmm?" Again, she put on the false cheery voice and said, "I can see it now, 'Oh yes dear, it's quite a funny thing actually. You see, I know Ron from way back when I was just a little girl and we even seriously dated for a while. You know, we were very much in love, or at least I thought so, but then he broke up with me and now he's here to live with us for a while, but I hope that that doesn't bother you'."  
  
He clenched his fists tightly, "You don't need to be so damn sarcastic you know!"  
  
"And you don't need to be so unfair!" She yelled indignantly, her face red with fury. "Obviously this is quite an awkward situation for the both of us, not just you, but there isn't a lot we can do to change it. And since you can't seem to come up with any better ideas as to how we should handle it, I think that I will continue on with my course of action and yes, act like I don't know you!" Her eyes flashed dangerously and Ron could have sworn that he had seen the old spark that used to be behind them lurking there for just a moment, but just as quickly as it had come, it was gone again.  
  
They both sat glaring angrily at the other for a few minutes, breathing heavily. Ron's mind was spinning. He was angry with her, with himself, with Kingsley; he was angry with the whole bloody world, damnit!  
  
"You know what Hermione?" he finally said after he had regained a normal breathing pattern, "You're right. You're absolutely right."  
  
She stared at him with a look of absolute confusion. "What?"  
  
He leaned back into the sofa, resting his arms on the back of it, smirking, "I said you're right. I mean, why should we act like we know one another when it's obvious that we don't? You see, the Ron Weasley you knew from Hogwarts is not the Ron Weasley that is sitting in front of you today. And you? Well, the Hermione I knew at least had some dignity; some sort of _respect_ for herself..."  
  
"What the hell are you getting at?" she asked, the spark back behind her eyes with a vengeance.  
  
He shrugged, "Well, I mean, when you shack up with a man just because he's well off... See, that was below the Hermione I knew, but _you_? It doesn't seem to bother you one bit."  
  
Her jaw dropped and Ron smirked again at the effect he had gotten. "You....you..." she spluttered, unable to fully form a sentence she was so angry.  
  
"Don't act so offended dear, you know damn well that's what you're doing," He added carelessly.  
  
She was absolutely seething by now, however when she spoke, her voice was quiet and slow, and her eyes flashed dangerously. "You know what Ron? It's not my fault that you left me. That was _your_ doing. And you know what else? **I** have _every right_ to be angry. But _you_? You know what I think? I think you are just a lonely, bitter, jealous man who's unhappy because he pushed something good away. And now, when that 'thing' is with someone else, someone _better_ than you, you can't take it. And you know what else? You realize that you will never get something or someone like that again and you will never, ever be happy like you once were. You'll always be this bitter, lonely man and you know what? **I don't care**. " She stood up from her chair, looking down at Ron whose arms had slipped off the top of the couch and whose mouth now hung slightly open. "You did this to yourself Ron, and I'll be damned if I let you try and hurt me again." She stared at him a moment, then with her head held high, she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her and leaving Ron reeling.  
  
------------  
  
Ron rubbed his face roughly, trying to block out her words from his mind. Was she right? She sure seemed to have struck a cord. His insides writhed with guilt and frustration and his head ached from trying to comprehend all the different things that had been thrown at him. Basically, he had just learned that his ex-girlfriend was now dating and living with the richest man in the U.K. who just happened to be a total and complete gentleman who was not only extremely good looking but who was also obviously infatuated with Hermione. And to top it all off, he had to protect him and make sure he was safe which, nice guy or not, was the last thing that Ron really wanted to do at that point in time.  
  
His stomach gave a loud rumble and Ron groaned. Sitting up, he dragged himself over to his belongings, fishing through them for something to eat. He finally found a small package at the bottom of his bag and when he opened it, he smiled as he pulled out the chocolate frog from inside. Gratefully, he took a bite out of it, savoring the sweetness and letting it melt in his mouth. He dug around again to look for some more, but as he did so he found a small pouch filled with a purple powder marked 'Room Floo'.  
  
He stopped digging as he held the pouch in his hand, a small smile spreading across his face. _'How could I have not thought of this before?'_ he thought to himself as he walked over to the fireplace. Taking a small pinch out of the bag, he flung it into the fireplace where bright, purple flames erupted instantaneously. He took a deep breath, then yelled out, "Number twelve, Grimmauld Place!"  
  
Nothing moved, but when he looked into the fireplace, he could see the fire swirling around in circles and almost as quickly as it had started, it stopped again showing the kitchen to Harry's home.  
  
"Harry! Harry are you there?" Ron called out to the empty room in front of him. The new Floo powder he had gotten from the Ministry was nice because it allowed him to talk to whomever he wished without having to stick his head into the fireplace and also allowed him to move around when talking to whoever he was at that point in time. Ron walked closer to the fireplace and called out again, "HARRY POTTER!! GET OVER HERE!!!"  
  
Almost instantly, he heard quick footsteps and saw Harry walk into the kitchen holding a piece of parchment in his hand, a bewildered look on his face. "Ron..?"  
  
"Down here you git!" Ron laughed. Harry looked down at the fireplace and smiled warmly as he saw his best friend sitting in front of a fireplace in a large, beautiful room.  
  
"Wow, nice room," Harry said awestruck.  
  
"Yeah, the guy's really got an amazing house. It's huge! I can't believe that he got this all on his own..."  
  
"Some guy's just have all the luck." Harry sat down on a chair backwards, throwing a leg over each side. "So how's it going so far? Is he exactly like Lockhart?"  
  
"No, thank God. He's actually smart and very polite and unlike Lockhart, he's actually worked for what he has," he paused for a moment, before adding, "Bloody wanker..."  
  
"What?" Harry choked on his laugh. "I thought you said you liked him?"  
  
"I do. But that's the problem."  
  
"Wait, why is that a problem?"  
  
Ron stood up and walked over towards the bed, "Because..."  
  
"Ron, would you stop beating around the bush and just bloody tell me already?"  
  
"Because he's dating Hermione, all right!?"  
  
There was a short silence in which Harry sat gaping, trying to fully take in what had just been said while Ron sat down on the edge of his four- poster, staring down at his hands in his lap.  
  
"He's... Hermione's...what?"  
  
"He's dating Hermione," Ron said quietly.  
  
"Are you sure? I mean, how did you—"  
  
"I saw her. She's staying here with him.  
  
Harry gaped again. "Wow...I...wow..."  
  
"Her flat burned down in London so she's moved in with him. She hasn't been living with him long but they seem serious." Ron continued to look down at his hands as he said this softly.  
  
"Burned down?"  
  
"Yeah," Ron replied, "They don't even know how. And the ministry's doing a crap job about it too, as usual."  
  
"Figures..." Harry looked at Ron uneasily. "So..."  
  
"So what?"  
  
"So, what happened? What did you say?"  
  
"To Hermione? Nothing. Not at first at least. I was in shock. The thing is; she seemed fine. She just..._ignored_ me. She just sat there like she had never met me before in her life!"  
  
"She ignored you?" Harry asked incredulously. "You mean you still haven't talked to her?"  
  
"Well, not exactly..." Ron looked away, his mind flooding with mental images of the scene downstairs as a wave of guilt washed over him.  
  
"Ron, what happened?"  
  
"Well, Tony left to send off an owl to Kingsley and then Chris left for a moment so it was just Hermione and me in the room. And well, I was er—well, I was angry with her. I mean, she completely ignored me and didn't even give me the slightest hint that she recognized me!" Harry looked at him skeptically and Ron looked away guiltily again. "Look, I know I was stupid, but I couldn't help it. I was mad and I took it out on her."  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"Er...I said... I said that she was being unfair and that she had no respect for herself and I accused her of dating him for his money."  
  
"Oh boy..." Harry sighed heavily.  
  
"Don't worry, she shot right back. She really shot back," he added in a softer voice, remembering her stinging words.  
  
"Well, can't say you didn't deserve it."  
  
"I know I did, I know. It just... got out of hand..." he sighed morosely.  
  
They sat quietly for a bit, reflecting on all that had happened. "So," Harry finally started, "other than you berating her on her love life, how is she? I haven't seen her in ages. I've written letters of course, but still, it's just not the same..."  
  
"She's..." Ron stopped for a moment, contemplating whether he should say what he was thinking or not, then just said it. "She's bloody amazing. She's even more beautiful than the last time I saw her and more mature. I saw her and I knew that I was in trouble. How am I going to be able to live under the same roof with her when I know that she's in love with this Christopher Rhiney, the complete and total opposite of me? He's rich, powerful, good looking, and you know what the worst part is? He's a genuinely nice guy and he obviously cares for her." He placed his head in his hands, "I don't stand a chance."  
  
"Did she say that?"  
  
"Say what?" Ron asked miserably.  
  
"Did she say that she loved him?"  
  
Ron looked up into the flames, "Well, no but who wouldn't love him?"  
  
Harry smiled slightly, "Ron, if there's one thing I know about women—"  
  
"You know something about women?" Ron said in mock-surprise.  
  
"Do you want my help or not?"  
  
"Sorry..."  
  
"Look. Who's to say that this Chris Rhiney is the one for her? Yes, maybe he is 'perfect', but that doesn't mean that she's in love with him. She loved you once, didn't she?"  
  
"Yeah. Yeah, she did," Ron said sadly.  
  
"Then who's to say that she ever stopped loving you?" Ron looked up at Harry to see him with a small smirk on his face. "Ron, you were her first love and she was yours. No matter how hard you two may try, you can't deny that there will always be a place in your hearts for each other."  
  
Ron looked at Harry apprehensively. "So, are you saying that there might be a chance that she still cares about me?"  
  
"Well, after what you said to her today, and considering what you did to her before, I think that you're going to have a hell of a time getting her to admit it. However, I still think that you can do it."  
  
Ron was quiet a moment, then said in just barely a whisper, "I still love her. I always did..."  
  
"I know. I tried to tell you that when I first found out you had broken up with her! But did you listen then?"  
  
"Listen? How the hell could I have listened?! You were beating me to a pulp if I remember correctly!" Harry laughed at this, but Ron kept continued, "You were! I remember you coming out to the backyard yelling at how I was a bloody wanker this and bull- headed prat that. And then you punched me in the face saying, 'That was for Hermione.' Then you hit me again and said, 'That was for being stupid,' and then you hit me YET AGAIN saying, 'And that was so you know that if you ever hurt her again, you will have to deal with me." Ron rubbed his face, "I still have marks, you know..."  
  
Harry laughed again, "Oh please, you're _fine_. You deserved it anyway, what with the way you acted."  
  
"Hey! You don't know how hard that was for me! Plus, you didn't have to worry about the one person you loved more than anything getting hurt because they stayed with you, now did you?"  
  
"Maybe not, but I if I _had_ been in your place, I wouldn't have done that."  
  
"Harry..."  
  
"Ron. We've been over this. I know you regret it, I do. And now you know you won't do something like that again. If not because you love her but because you don't want to have to deal with me again."  
  
"Yeah, remind me never to piss off the boy who lived again..."  
  
Harry snorted, "Look. Just be nice to her. It's going to be awkward for the both of you, especially after what happened earlier, but if you apologize and make it up to her then you'll at least have gained her trust back and that for you, is half the battle."  
  
"Thanks for the help mate."  
  
Harry grinned, "You and Hermione are my family. I just want to see you two happy. God knows we all waited long enough for you two to finally admit your feelings to each other in the first place, so now it's just a matter of time before you two make up."  
  
"Yeah..." A knock at Harry's front door made both men look towards their doors.  
  
"Damn. Someone's at the door. I'd better go."  
  
"All right. Well, I'll talk to you later then. But before you go, what's in your hand anyway? You've been playing with the damn thing the whole time we've been talking and it's starting to drive me mad."  
  
Harry looked confused for a moment, then looked down at the letter in his hand and smiled briefly before answering, "Oh, just a letter from Sean is all. About the mission."  
  
Ron nodded, "Oh, right. Then I better let you go."  
  
"See ya, mate."  
  
"Yeah, see ya." And with a small wave of his wand over the fireplace, the picture disappeared with a _pop!_ and he was left alone in his room once again.  
  
Ron sat back on his bed again, staring up at the ceiling. _'What have I gotten myself into?' _he thought forlornly. However, as the picture of Hermione floated gracefully back into his mind again, he found himself smiling lightly. He got up off the bed and headed over to the door, a determined look on his face. _'If I have to live here with her, then fine. But I'll be damned if I let her slip away again.'_ And with that, he gathered all his courage and walked out the door.  
  
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You know what my favorite part about the end of a chapter is? My chance to tell the author how much I love/hate their story. Exersize those fingers of yours and write a review!


	4. Midnight Tea

**Chapter 4  
  
Midnight Tea**

****

****

Ron never did get his chance to talk to Hermione and (gulp) apologize about what he had said earlier. Almost as soon as he had stepped out on to the landing was he then summoned by both Tony and Chris, who kept him busy with business talk all the way up until dinner.  
  
His stomach growled loudly and painfully as he sat down next to Tony at the table. Chris was seated at the head, Hermione to his right, and the two Aurors on his left, and seemed to lead the dinner conversations most of the night. Ron tried persistently to catch Hermione's eye throughout the meal but to no avail; she seemed determined to avoid looking in his general direction. Ron felt himself starting to grow frustrated as his pointed attempts to get her attention during the meal were blatantly ignored, however he kept his cool, resigning on the idea that he would just corner her after dinner and talk to her then.  
  
The meal itself was exquisite and, more or less, quite uneventful except for the small French maid that kept running in and out of the room. Her name, Ron learned, was Cecile. She was an older woman in her early fifties who was from France originally but had moved to London not too long ago. She was a new maid at Rhiney Manor and although she spoke English, her accent was thick and obvious. As she helped serve the food, she was quiet and shy; however each time she would reach Ron, she would blush and scurry off towards the kitchen yet again.  
  
The four of them eventually moved into the living room to talk some more, but as the grandfather clock on the wall struck eleven, they seemed to decide that it was time to stop for the night and head off to their rooms. Chris and Tony lead the way up the stairs, talking animatedly, followed by Hermione, then Ron who was mentally debating whether he should pull her aside now to talk to her or not.  
  
"Well, it has been a wonderful day, if I may say so myself, and I am very glad to have two Aurors like you here to help Hermione and myself right now." Chris turned to Hermione, placing his arms around her waist, to which Ron grimaced slightly. "I hope you had a good day with your mum. I'm sorry I've been so busy with work..."  
  
"Don't be Chris," she said kindly, "You've got a lot to worry about what with all that's been going on and it would be selfish of me to act offended. You're doing the best that you can."  
  
He smiled warmly, "I'm a lucky man, love. A very lucky man." Bending his head down slightly, he kissed her tenderly on the lips. Ron quickly looked off to the side, his insides burning with jealousy and resentment, determined not to look at the two of them together. However the kiss was small and innocent, lasting only a moment, and almost as soon as it had started, it was over, and Chris was bidding a good night to everyone as he walked down the hall to his bedroom. Ron, much to his delight, noted that Hermione's bedroom was on the opposite side of the master and conveniently located right next to his._ 'Now I just have to talk to her...Ugh, easier said than done...'  
_  
As he broke his reverie, he realized that he now stood alone in the hallway, being that everyone else had already headed off to their bedrooms. His ears redden slightly, but he quickly walked over towards his own door. As he reached for the knob however, he stopped abruptly as a soft murmuring was heard coming down from the end of the hallway where Hermione's room was situated. Curiosity got the better of him and he walked over to her door, listening intently to her as she spoke.  
  
"I can't IbelieveI that he's actually here! How? How is it that out of all the Aurors in the bloody ministry he had to be the one that was assigned here?!?" Ron's insides burned with guilt as he listened to her speak.  
  
"Oh, for Merlin's _sake_, what am I going to do?" she spoke a little quieter this time, and Ron leaned in closer to the door, gently placing his head against the door in order to listen better. "This couldn't be a worse situation, could it? I mean, it's not as if he's just some random man. No, it's _Ron_. Ron..." She paused for a moment and again, Ron found himself straining to hear what she was saying.  
  
"Oh, don't look at me that way Crookshanks. I know you like him, which still ceases to amaze me just how well you two get along. I would never have thought that you two could put aside your differences for me. You even like him better than you like Chris!" Ron smiled as he heard a distinct meowing sound come from inside the bedroom. "Don't try to deny it! I saw how you were with Ron today! You were all over him, purring and meowing......Traitor," she added. "Well, Mr. Know-It-All, what do you suggest I do then? Hmm? Oh well, cat got your tongue, eh?" She paused for a moment and Ron could picture the look of frustration mixed with confusion that was on her face. "Argh, this is just so complicated..." She sighed heavily, and Ron felt himself sigh as well. "You know what Crookshanks? It's just...odd. One minute, I can't stand him, and then the next, all I want to do is..." Ron's eyes widened, "Well...never mind what I want to do. I guess... I just wish that things didn't have to be like this."  
  
"The thing is, I...well, I miss him. I miss _Ron_, my best friend from Hogwarts. The Ron that used to call me a Ms. Know-It-All and who would make fun of me for being smart, but would then beg for help on his own work. The Ron who could be so stupid yet so _brilliant_ all at the same time, and who would tease me mercilessly but the minute anyone else started in on me, would have his wand drawn and ready to fight. The Ron who could be so damn stubborn, and funny, and oblivious to EVERTHING, but always be one of the most loyal, caring, brave, loving, and _wonderful_ friends that any person could ask for. I miss _that_..."  
  
Ron stood outside the door, unable to move. His heart was pounding painfully in his chest and his insides ached with guilt. He just wanted to burst through the door and tell her everything and confess all his lies and feelings over the past three years and since the moment he had first met her. About how he never stopped loving her and that he would always love her and more than anything, he would always be that man she missed and _more_...  
  
"Er—Meester Weasley?"  
  
A small voice came from behind Ron causing him to whip around violently looking like a child who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.  
  
"What are you doing at Miz Grainger's door?" Cecile the little French maid stood with a small pile of blankets in her hands, watching Ron curiously. Her face was a little pink as she spoke, but she still stood there watching him.  
  
"Er—Nothing. Nothing at all. I just... thought I heard something. That's all." He tried to look casual but his reddened ears seemed to be a dead give away.  
  
"Oh. Well, I just zought zat you might like to 'ave some more blankets. Eet's supposed to get cold." She offered him the pile in her hands and smiled shyly.  
  
"Er—thanks." He took them from her and smiled back, to which she turned a deep crimson.  
  
"Eet is my pleasure, Meester Weasley."  
  
"Please, call me Ron. Er—well, goodnight then."  
  
She smiled brightly, "Yes, goodnight Meester Ron." And with a small bow, she walked quickly down the stairs and back towards the living room.  
  
Shaking his head slightly, Ron walked back towards his own room and went inside. He could feel the exhaustion start to creep through him as he placed his blankets on the end of the bed. Quickly and quietly, he changed out of his robes, leaving on his white undershirt, and replacing his jeans with a pair of long sweats, then crawled into the large, comfortable bed, soaking up the warmth. His body relaxed and he pushed all thoughts from his mind as he slowly drifted into a comfortable, deep sleep...  
  
---------------  
  
The moonlight that issued in from his bedroom windows at the Burrow spilled onto the comforter of his bed, illuminating it brilliantly. Ron could feel himself shaking slightly as he stood by his door, watching his bed. His heart was beating quickly and his breath was somewhat ragged. He tried to walk over towards the bed, but found that he was stuck; unable to command his own body to do as he wished.  
  
However, she came to him instead. She had been what he was watching intently as she sat on the bed, looking back at him, nervous and as unsure as to what to do as he was. She walked up and stopped in front of him, her deep, brown eyes looking up into his blue ones. Neither made a move. No words were said. They just stood, staring into each other's eyes, searching. Ron found it somewhat comforting to just look at her. It took him away from this place and this situation and reminded him that despite everything else, she was still just Hermione and he was still just Ron. Just Hermione._ 'No,'_ he thought, _'She'll never be "Just Hermione." She's so much more...'   
_  
He felt his lips curl into a small smile and, staring into her eyes adoringly, whispered, "I love you Hermione. More than you can ever know."  
  
Much to his delight, he watched as her beautiful lips slowly formed a smile back. "I love you too, Ron."  
  
And that was it. It was all the reassurance either of them needed. Ron was about to move, but Hermione beat him to it. Hands trembling, but with a look of resolute determination, Hermione gradually brought them up to the hem of his t-shirt and ever so slowly, pulled it up and over his head, tossing it to the side afterwards. There they stood again, Ron half naked, Hermione standing right in front of him. As she made no other move, Ron started to slightly panic. _'Why did I have to be so damn skinny?'_ he lamented. _'She probably hates me...'_   
  
However, Hermione smiled even brighter than before and stared lovingly up at Ron, causing him to breathe a sigh of relief. Unsure at first, but then with that same look of determination again, Hermione brought her hand up to his chest and laid it gently on his stomach. Ron shivered under her touch and closed his eyes slightly. Her touch had shot a tingling sensation cascading through his body and all he wanted was more of it, more of her touch and more of that feeling—and for her to feel the same.  
  
He walked forward, closing the small gap between the two of them and grabbed a hold of her hand on his chest. He then gently guided her over to his bed, sitting her down on the edge, and placing his self, kneeling, between her legs. Still holding her one hand, he took his other and gently caressed her face. She closed her eyes at his touch and he gently brushed his thumb over her full, pink lips. She kissed it lovingly and smiled, her eyes still closed, reveling in the feeling. Then he brought his lips to hers and kissed her; gently at first, then with more passion. She placed her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his hair, deepening their kiss.  
  
Their kisses became more and more heated, their desire for each other more obvious, until finally Hermione broke away, leaving them both gasping for air and Ron whimpering slightly for more. She giggled lightly at his reaction and he could feel his face burn, but she smiled sweetly and kissed his forehead. Still panting slightly, she then brought her hands from his hair and found his hands. Hesitating slightly, she then brought both their sets of hands to her blue shirt's hem. He stared up at her, somewhat uncertain. However a small nod of reassurance told him all he needed to know and, his heart pounding madly in his chest, slipped her shirt over and off of her body, leaving her sitting there wearing just a pair of shorts and a blue, cotton bra.  
  
Her skin was sun kissed and glowed beautifully in the moonlight. Ron marveled at her body. How it curved in all the right places and how just her sitting there right now, he couldn't think of anything in the world that could be more perfect or... sexy.  
  
She noticed him staring slightly and giggled again, but before he could move, she already had her lips on his, kissing him tenderly. She wrapped her legs around his waist seductively and he lightly laid her back down on his bed, hovering above her, their lips still locked to one another's.  
  
Ron knew he loved her more than anything in the world and would do anything for her. She was his beloved and no matter what, he would protect her from everything and always love her. He didn't have to be rich and handsome to be in love and to be loved back. Hermione had taught him that. And as he kissed her deeper and ran his hands over her smooth skin, he could feel his passion and love for her course through him powerfully. They were right. This was right. And no matter what happened, no one could take away what they shared together.  
  
---------------  
  
Ron awoke with a jerk. His mind was hazy as he lay in bed, trying to figure out what had just happened. Then he remembered...  
  
Hermione...  
  
He reached out vainly to try and find her but was only met with pillows. Then it all came rushing back to him like a strong gust of wind. It was just a dream... But the dream itself had once been real. It was now just a memory; one that would haunt him in his sleep forever.  
  
Ron lay in bed, tossing and turning; trying (but failing) to push the images of Hermione out of his mind. After about ten minutes, he gave up and realizing that sleep was not an option, got out of the bed, grabbed his wand from the bedside table, and walked out of his room.  
  
The house was dark except for the streams of light coming in from the windows. Whispering a soft, "_Lumos_," Ron then continued his way down the stairs and into the foyer.  
  
He wasn't too sure where he was going to, but decided the best idea was to probably head into the living room. Maybe he could play a little chess or even read a book. He walked slowly into the dining room, passing the kitchen door. _'Wouldn't Hermione be surprised...**Me** reading a **book**... the world must be coming to an end—'_  
  
_Clink clink clink..._  
  
The noise stopped Ron dead in his tracks and he felt himself stiff up immediately. His Auror senses kicked in as he stood silently with bated breath, waiting for anymore noises. Then he heard it again...  
  
_Clink clink clink..._  
  
In an instant, Ron had swiftly and silently maneuvered himself next the door to the kitchen and had his wand ready. His mind was focused and ready as he did an internal countdown. _'3...2...1...'_  
  
Ron kicked the swinging door open and rushed inside, his head darting around the room, looking for whoever was inside, but he was met with only an empty room. Confused but undeterred, he walked in further, investigating around the corners of the dark granite countertops and the beautiful wooden cabinets. He walked over to the large fireplace where a small pile of wooden logs sat. Peering into the fireplace, Ron didn't notice the person come up behind him.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
Ron whipped around, his wand pointed, and was about to yell out a curse when his eyes fell upon the person in front of him.  
  
"_PETRIF—**Hermione**_?" Hermione was standing in front of him, holding a brass teapot in her hands along with a few teabags, staring at him with a look of confusion mingled with dislike. She was wearing a pair of pajama shorts and a matching pajama shirt as well as a short, blue, silky robe and fuzzy slippers.  
  
"What are you doing up? Shouldn't you be in bed?" he asked her roughly, annoyed at her for surprising him.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Shouldn't _you_? I'm just getting some tea." She sighed exasperatedly. "Would you _please_ point that thing somewhere else? Honestly..." She pushed past him and placed the teapot inside the fireplace, murmuring a spell which caused small, bright flames to erupt underneath it. She walked back over to the island in the middle of the kitchen and sat down on one of the stools. Ron just stood where he was, watching her as she moved, her high ponytail of curls bouncing as she walked. He was first somewhat shocked to see Hermione up at this time of night, but as soon as that had worn off, it seemed to take all his strength to keep his mind from floating back to his dream and the picture of Hermione and him lying in bed, the moonlight bathing them in its heavenly glow, while they—  
  
"Ron? Are you all right?"  
  
He shook his head distractedly, his face warming slightly, and mentally cursed himself. "I'm fine..."  
  
Obviously annoyed, she gave another great sigh and continued to wait for her tea. Ron studied her in the moonlight. The way her eyes seemed to sparkle and her face glowed with a soft radiance, while her lips curved voluptuously, enticing and teasing him all at the same time. He smiled as he remembered their joke about how they would say there was a hidden kiss in her lips that she could only give to him.  
  
_'You need to apologize to her...'  
_  
_'I know that, and you're not helping,'_ he thought angrily.  
  
Before he could say anything, there was a soft whistling sound and Hermione walked over to the teapot, taking it off the fire and bringing it back over to the counter. She grabbed one of the mugs in front of her and started to fill it with the hot, amber liquid.  
  
"Do you want some?"  
  
Ron shook his head, "Erm—what?"  
  
"Do-you-want-some?" she asked, obviously irritated.  
  
"Sure... Thanks." He took the mug from her as she handed it to him and walked over to one of the stools. She filled a mug for herself and then sat back down in the stool next to Ron's. They sat quietly; occasionally sipping from their steaming hot mugs, but neither one spoke a word or made any attempts at speaking. Ron was waging war with himself on the inside, trying to work up to courage to speak until finally he sucked it up and spoke.  
  
"I'msorryaboutbeingapratearlier."  
  
She looked at him confusedly. "Er... come again?"  
  
He breathed in deeply. "Look, I'm sorry about how I acted earlier. I was a prat and I'm not only embarrassed but I feel bad about making you feel so horrible. You were right, this is an awkward situation for the both of us, but seeing as I'm going to be here for a while, it would be better if we weren't always on the verge of biting each other's heads off. So, I'm sorry."  
  
She stared at him skeptically for what seemed like an eternity and Ron could feel his hopes of forgiveness starting to falter and slip away. However, she turned back to her tea, staring down into it and spoke quietly.  
  
"I'm sorry too. I said some awful things to you and, although you may have _deserved_ them doesn't mean I should have said them. I just got a little carried away..." She looked back up at him, "So. Shall we call it even and pretend it never happened?"  
  
Ron smiled warmly, "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." He straightened up and turned his body to face hers. "Hello Hermione."  
  
He noticed a smile tugging at her lips as she tried to keep a straight face. "Hello Ron," she replied. "It's been a long time..."  
  
"Three years to be exact," he said somewhat forlornly. "Look, Hermione, I never expected you to be here, and I know that your feelings towards me are... well, let's just say that they're less than friendly. And, as much as it pains me to say this, I know I deserve it; I understand why you are angry and you have a right to be. I just hope that this won't be such an unbearable time for you. I know that we can probably never be friends again like we once were, but I don't want you to feel awkward with me here. We can't deny that we do have quite a history between the two of us..." he trailed off slightly then quieted. Ron sat fiddling with his mug slightly, feeling saddened by the realization of it all. He really never was going to get her back; it would be impossible after all that he had done, but he sighed a deep sigh of relief, glad to have gotten out what he wanted to say. 

"We really do have quite a history together, don't we?" Hermione said, causing him to look up at her. "I mean, we are part of the famous Hogwarts Trio. And what with all the things that we've gone through... it's a bit hard to ignore something like that, isn't it?" She smiled reminiscently as she looked out the window into the backyard. "Sometimes I wish that I could go back there, you know? Things just seemed so much simpler."  
  
Ron snorted into his tea, causing Hermione to look over at him with a look of amusement mixed with uncertainty. "What?"  
  
"Oh nothing," he replied nonchalantly. "It's just that really doesn't surprise me at all."  
  
She had a look of mock-hurt, "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Oh come off it Hermione. You were the bloody smartest witch to ever go through that school! You were teacher's pet, prefect, Head Girl and top girl of our class as well as the smartest student to go through that school in over a century! Of course you would miss that place; I bet life is just too boring for you now since you haven't got any homework to worry about."  
  
"Oh please! I don't miss the work! I miss the _school_. That was home for seven years of our lives and I had a lot of wonderful, as well as terrible, memories there. But the good ones far outweigh the bad and I do miss it. I miss the common room and the Great Hall and the Room of Requirements where we had our DA meetings. I even miss the teachers. Well, most of them," she added as she saw the look of amusement on Ron's face.  
  
"I guess you're right. It really is an amazing place. Too bad we took it for granted while we were still there. I guess it's like they say, 'You never know what you had until you've lost it.'"  
  
They sat in silence for a while, both caught up in their own thoughts. Ron occasionally sipped at his tea, thinking back to the many adventures and _mis_adventures he had had while attending the school. As much as he had complained about it at the time, he agreed with Hermione that things were definitely easier back then.  
  
A loud meow at their feet brought them back to reality as Crookshanks rubbed up against Ron's leg appreciatively.  
  
"Well, hello there Crookshanks. Come to join the party have you?" Ron chuckled as the tabby meowed and jumped up into his lap, snuggling up against him as Ron pet him.  
  
Hermione looked on in amazement. "I can't believe you two. Honestly, you used to hate each other and now you two are just the best of friends aren't you?" She sighed loudly, "You know, he doesn't even like Chris! I don't understand it. I mean, Chris has always been so nice to Crookshanks but Crookshanks won't go anywhere near him and anytime Chris tries to even pet him, he hisses and starts scratching."  
  
Ron tried to hide his smile as he looked down proudly at the big ball of ginger fur sitting in his lap. "Well, Crookshanks never has been the most trusting cat in the world, now has he? They probably just need to warm up to each other. We eventually did, didn't we boy?" Crookshanks purred loudly and Ron rubbed behind his ears affectionately. Hermione just smiled and rolled her eyes.  
  
"So, what are you doing now?" Ron asked after a couple of minutes. "I mean, where are you working at now?"  
  
"I work for the Ministry actually. I'm a translator for the Department of International Magical Cooperation, pertaining specifically to the International Magical Trading Standards body, but I basically work on whatever and with whomever they ask me to."  
  
Ron gaped, "You're a translator? Wow... I'm impressed, although not altogether surprised. What's your specialty? Which languages are you best at?"  
  
Hermione looked away sheepishly. "Oh, well I don't just speak one language, actually. That's why I'm so popular with the all the different departments, because I can help with most of their interactions with other countries or magical creatures."  
  
"How many languages do you know?"  
  
"Um... about ten fluently, but I'm still working on Troll and Giant, neither of which is a real _joy_ but you never know when it'll come in handy—"  
  
"_Ten languages_? Are you serious? That's mad Hermione..."  
  
"Well what do you expect? I'm a translator now, I have to know how to speak many different—"  
  
"But you're so _young_. You're barely twenty two. I just don't—"  
  
"What are you implying Ron?" she asked defensively.  
  
"Nothing! I'm just—"he sighed heavily as he looked into her dark, brown eyes. "I ... well, damnit Hermione, its amazing! It's just bloody amazing, and as always, you're bloody amazing!"  
  
Hermione and Ron sat staring at each other. Hermione's mouth was slightly open and Ron's ears were burning, but neither of them looked away. His heart pounded roughly in his chest and he swallowed hard. He became acutely aware of the fact that they were both facing one another, leaning forward. Their knees touched gently, sending waves of shivers up and down Ron's back, and he could feel Hermione quiver slightly at the contact as well. A strand of hair had fallen out of her ponytail and now dangled delicately in front of her face. Almost instinctively, Ron brought his hand up and gently tucked it behind her ear. As he brought his hand down, he let it rest on her cheek, relishing in the softness of it, and causing her to close her eyes at the contact, much like in the dream he had had. When she opened her eyes, they looked at each other, both unmoving and unsure. God, was she beautiful. Her eyes seemed to sparkle while her skin glowed in the light.  
  
Nervously, he licked his lips. Before he could stop himself, he was leaning forward, closer to her face. Crookshanks leapt out of his lap aggravated at almost being crushed as Ron leaned forward, but as he looked up at Ron and Hermione, he seemed to smile knowingly. Ron could smell the light perfume she was wearing and noticed it was a very familiar scent to him. But as she came closer, all thoughts of cats and perfumes were pushed from his mind as his eyes started to close...  
  
CLANG!!  
  
The loud ringing of the Grandfather clock in the Living Room sent the two of them flying apart, blushing like mad and looking away guiltily. It rang out three times, and then as soon as it had started, it had stopped again and reverted back to its normal, peaceful ticking.  
  
"Well," Ron started.  
  
"We should probably go to bed," Hermione got up uneasily and grabbed both mugs, placing them in the sink. She placed a quick cleaning charm on them, then put them back into the cupboard. Ron stood as well, however he wasn't sure whether to offer to help, go up to bed, or try to talk to her, so instead he stared at his feet while she tidied up. Once she was done, she walked over to the swinging door, stopping and turning back to him. "Are you coming?"  
  
Ron nodded and followed her out, his head still spinning. Had he really just almost do what he thought he almost did? His stomach flipped at the thought. Then he remembered something else.  
  
"Er—Hermione?"  
  
She turned her head to look at him as they reached the top of the staircase. "Yes?"  
  
"What's today?"  
  
She looked at him curiously, "The nineteenth. Why do you ask?"  
  
Ron smiled cheekily, "Did you even realize that you've been twenty two for three hours now?"  
  
Hermione laughed. "I can't believe I forgot. But, how did you know?"  
  
"I remembered! How could I ever forget it?" His ears reddened again and he ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"Well, thank you for remembering. You get to be the first one to wish me a happy birthday today." She smiled warmly.  
  
"So does this mean we're all right again?" he asked hopefully, giving her a puppy dog face.  
  
She snorted. "Well," she started, "there may be hope for you yet, Ron Weasley." She walked down the hall and to her door. "Goodnight, Ron."  
  
"Goodnight, Hermione. And happy birthday."  
  
Smiling warmly, she walked into her room, leaving Ron with a warm, hopeful feeling which stayed with him as he crawled back into his bed and feel into a deep, undisturbed sleep; the first in almost 3 years.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------

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	5. The Mercato Italiano

**Chapter 5  
  
The Mercato Italiano**

****  
  
"Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork! That's all I do is paperwork! I don't understand it! If they wanted me to do bloody paperwork then why in the hell did they send me out on a field assignment for my first job rather than work at a desk?!?" Ron paced his room angrily as he looked at the mounds of paperwork scattered haphazardly throughout it.  
  
"You're not the only one mate. Ever since that explosion, it seems all Sean and I do is paperwork too." Harry was sitting in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place surrounded by his own mountain range of papers.  
  
Just two weeks before, there had been a massive explosion in one of the warehouses to a large shipping company that was a frontrunner in the export/import industry along with Christopher's company. It had been a largely devastating explosion, killing many people and had rocked the Wizarding community as well as the Muggle. It had been obvious even since before they had found a note that it had been the work of the I.W.P. and ever since, all Aurors had been put on special notification and had been working overtime trying not only to clean up the mess left from the blast but were now being told to put in double the effort when it came to trying to discover who was involved in the organization. Kingsley had sent detailed letters to both Harry and Ron's teams telling them specifically that they must from now on do double the amount of paperwork that they had been doing before; sending in weekly reports highlighting any and all the things that they did, what went on, etcetera, as well as details as to what was to be expected to be happening, such as meetings, outings, and the sort. Kingsley was definitely not leaving anything unaccounted for.  
  
And since then, things had been madness.  
  
"Just the other day, Chris had a meeting that both Tony and I went to and I mean it Harry, I thought I was going to die from all the paperwork! And then Kingsley was on us both because now we are supposed to be watching out for Hermione as well, but she didn't have to go to the meeting because they didn't need a translator and he just about ripped our heads off for not having one of us stay with her! But we both knew that he would have murdered us if we hadn't both gone to the meeting! It's bloody madness mate!" Ron flopped down on to the bed, running a freckled hand through his hair. He reached into the back pocket of his jeans, pulling out his wand and tapped a pile of papers that lay next to him, causing them to reshuffle into a neater pile.  
  
Harry chuckled slightly and Ron frowned at him. "I don't see how you can just sit there and laugh at all this. You and Sean must be going through hell now too especially since you two are heading up this entire investigation."  
  
Harry shook his head slightly and looked up from the piece of parchment he was reading. "What'd you say mate?"  
  
Ron looked at him incredulously. "Did you even hear a single word I just said?"  
  
"Er—yes...?"  
  
Ron looked at him suspiciously. "What are you reading anyway? I have a feeling it's not a note from Sean or Kingsley."  
  
Harry looked away from Ron, putting the letter into his cloak pocket which sat next to him on the table and tried to shrug it off, giving Ron a small smile. "It's nothing Ron. Really."  
  
Ron wasn't convinced and opened his mouth to respond, but was stopped abruptly as a knock on the door cut their conversation short. "Hold on Harry. Come in!"  
  
The door swung open and as Tony walked in holding a stack of papers in his hand, causing Ron to groan as he looked at it.  
  
"It's nice to see you too, Ron," Tony said as he placed the pile down on the dresser. "Those are all done, but I need you to send them out for me. Also, it turns out there are some busy days ahead of us."  
  
"What, these aren't?"  
  
"Well, it looks like Christopher is going to be going to quite a few more meetings as well as a few business trips."  
  
"Business trips? Oh _Merlin_..."  
  
"Look, I've written to Kingsley explaining about them and the letter is with the other stuff you need to send him. I'm sure only one of us will have to go with him being that Hermione doesn't have to go and since I'm the one who knows all about them already it looks like I'm the one who will go. But, we can go over that later. Right now you just need to know that he's got a lot coming up soon, what with Christmas coming up so quickly and that is the busiest time of year for him so it looks like our work load just doubled."  
  
"Great..."  
  
Tony pat Ron on the shoulder and smiled. "You'll get used to it Rookie. Being an Auror isn't always as glamorous as it seems but most of the time it's worth it." He turned to leave and stopped as he noticed Harry in the fireplace. "Oh, hello there Harry. What'cha got there?"  
  
Harry looked up from the piece of parchment in his hands with a smile. "I'm just reading a note is all."  
  
Tony seemed to give a knowing nod and winked at Harry. "Ah, yes. I'm hoping to get one from my wife and children soon. It's always nice to receive notes from the ones we love, isn't it?" He laughed at the look of slight embarrassment on Harry's face and the look of utter confusion on Ron's. "Ah, well. Send Sean my regards and I hope that you two are doing well. 'Bye Harry. Ron." And with a slight nod, he strode out of the room.  
  
Ron glared at Harry. "What was that all about?" he demanded. However, yet again, his chance at getting any answers was cut short by a timid knocking at his door. Ron growled loudly in frustration. "Come in!!"  
  
The door swung open to reveal the shy Cecile standing with a bowl of steaming soup, bread with butter and a mug of pumpkin juice.  
  
"I 'ope zat I am not bozering you but I knew zat you 'ad been up here all day without anyzing to eat so I zhought zat I should bring you somezing." She smiled sweetly as she brought the plate over to the dresser next to the pile of papers Tony had left.  
  
"Oh, erm—thank you Cecile. I guess I had just been so busy that I never really thought about eating."  
  
"Well, I, um, well, ze staff and Monsieur Rhiney were getting worried about you so we decided to send zis up to you. I 'ope you like it."  
  
"Thank you Cecile," Ron said again, hoping not to sound rude, but trying to give her the message to leave. However, like many things, it seemed to be lost in the translation and Cecile ended up standing there for a good ten minutes, trying to keep up conversation as Ron tried kindly to get her to leave. Harry bit his tongue as he watched Ron finally kick the old woman out, stating that he had a lot of work to get done.  
  
"I think she likes you mate." Harry chuckled as Ron plopped back down on his bed again, running a hand through his hair.  
  
"Tell me about it. She always acts so skittish around me usually, and she's always blushing like mad, and trying to start up conversations but usually she's too embarrassed to say anything so she just stands there staring at me. It's driving me insane!" Ron threw his head down into a pillow, giving a strangled yell as Harry watched on in amusement. When Ron lifted his head again, he kept his eyes closed, trying hard to calm down. But, again, a knock at the door set him off.  
  
"Bloody hell!!" he yelled. "Can't I just get some work done around here?!?" He yelled out in frustration and then called out to the door, "GO AWAY!"  
  
"Fine then, if you're going to be that way, then I'll just ask Tony instead."  
  
The sound of Hermione's voice from the doorway caused Ron to shoot up and off the bed, grabbing her arm as she turned to leave. He looked somewhat embarrassed for having yelled at her, but glad all the same to see her.  
  
"Sorry about that. I guess I'm just feeling stressed and I keep getting interrupted." He smiled at her, but she just frowned back, her arms crossed across her chest.  
  
"Well, if you're busy then I really should come back at another time. I don't want to disturb you—"  
  
"NO! No... it's all right. Plus, there's someone I want you to see." He smiled slyly and led her into the room in front of the fireplace. As she walked in, she immediately noticed Harry in the fireplace looking up at her with a huge smile on his face.  
  
"HARRY!!!" she squealed. "Oh Harry, it's so good to see you! Oh it's been much, much too long! I mean, letters are nothing like actually talking to a person face to face. But, oh, how are you? Are you doing well? Have things been as crazy for you since the explosion as they have been for all of us? Merlin knows how hard Kingsley has Ron and Tony working and now both Chris and I are running around trying to do our own bit of damage control, what with him trying to make sure everything moves smoothly with his company and I have been asked to do so much translating lately, I think my head's about to explode! And to think, this is all during the busiest season of the year as it is! Christmas! It's madness and I don't know how anyone can do this, but I suppose it is good to do it, I mean, someone has to, and it is rather interesting to—"  
  
"WHOA! Whoa there Hermione! Breathe for a minute! It's nice to see you too..." Harry laughed as she smiled brightly at him, obviously unfazed.  
  
"I just can't believe that it's you Harry. I've missed you a lot."  
  
"And I've missed you Hermione. It's amazing how lonely it feels without you quoting Hogwarts, A History or nagging me to do my work all the time." She rolled her eyes playfully, smiling brightly.  
  
"So what did you need Hermione?" Ron asked.  
  
"My mum invited me to go and visit her and my dad since they just got back from a seminar in Paris. I haven't seen them in a while, so I was hoping that I could maybe just pop by and spend some time with them."  
  
Ron looked apprehensive. "I don't know Hermione. I mean, I'm not sure Kingsley would be too keen on letting you go all the way out to Muggle London..."  
  
"Well, then maybe Kingsley doesn't need to know." She said this all very innocently, her brown eyes gazing up into Ron's. Ron and Harry however both looked back at her with wide eyes and shocked expressions.  
  
"Can it be that Hermione Granger is actually willing to break the rules?" Ron looked shocked, but amused nonetheless.  
  
"I do believe so, Ron." Harry smirked up out of the fireplace, causing Hermione to sigh exasperatedly.  
  
"Oh honestly you two, you act as if you haven't known me for ten years. Don't you two realize how much you've corrupted me?" She grinned cheekily.  
  
"_Us_ corrupt **you**?" Ron said. "As if that's even possible!"  
  
"Or plausible," Harry added.  
  
"Oh, it's only for a bit and I just really want to see my mum and dad. They worry about me, what with all that's going on, and truthfully, I don't blame them. And come on, do you really think that I'm in danger? I'll be out with a certified Auror, and if something was to happen and you were outnumbered, you know perfectly well that I am capable of taking care of myself."  
  
"She's got a point mate."  
  
"Hey! Whose side are you on anyway?" Ron shot at Harry.  
  
"Ron," Hermione's face softened and she looked at him beseechingly. "It's only one afternoon and you really don't have to say anything to Kingsley. I mean, he's got so much to worry about already that I doubt one trip to my parent's house is really going to make a difference. Come on, it'll be fun! Plus, I'm sure they would love to see you again; it has been quite a while since the last time you visited."  
  
Ron looked down at Harry who just shrugged his shoulders. Ron sighed, "All right then. But we're going to have to drive."  
  
Hermione jumped up and squealed excitedly. "Oh thank you Ron! I'll be ready in ten minutes, all right?" She gave him a quick hug and rushed out of the room, leaving Ron somewhat dazed.  
  
"Ron?... RON?... **RON**!!" Ron shook his head as he turned back to look down at Harry. Harry just smiled knowingly. "Well, looks like that Cecile has some competition..."  
  
Ron just scowled.  
  
---------------  
  
The drive to Hermione's parent's house was quite dreary, but not because of either Ron or Hermione. It was pouring rain outside, leaving raindrops as big as Snitches on the windshield of the Ministry van. However, Ron and Hermione kept up a lively conversation inside, both feeling quite comfortable with the other. Ron was pleased to find that ever since their first day, they hadn't had any other rows like that, however he still noticed that at times, things seemed a bit awkward and tense between the two of them. _'Suppose it's what I get though,'_ he thought to himself, but as they drove into London, things seemed to be relaxed and carefree.  
  
As they got closer, that feeling started to wither away slightly while tension took its place for they found themselves driving around aimlessly, unsure of where to go. Hermione peered out the windows, squinting against the darkness, trying to make out the different tall buildings that stood, looming over them, looking for anything that looked familiar. Her efforts were met with nothing however, and as she growled in frustration, Ron tried to reason with her.  
  
"Look, let me just use the invisibility booster. Then we could go—"  
  
"NO," came her stern response and she continued her search.  
  
"Hermione, it would make things easier. Just let me do it until we find out where to go and—"  
  
"In front of all these people?! Are you mad?"  
  
Ron just shook his head as he looked out at the dark, empty streets. "What people?" he muttered to himself.  
  
"I heard that Ron," Hermione growled as she glared daggers at him. Ron just continued to navigate his way through the streets, searching like Hermione, for a street that he had neither heard of nor seen before in his life.  
  
After a somewhat tense silence between the two of them, Hermione threw up her hands in frustration and let out a long, angry cry. Ron looked over at her apprehensively as she held her face in her hands, taking deep breaths.  
  
"Ron?" she said somewhat dejectedly, "I think we need to stop and ask for directions."  
  
Ron bit back the smile that threatened to break out across his face, knowing that if he valued his life, he wouldn't laugh at her when she conceded defeat. Never did Hermione Granger ever give up, and she wouldn't admit that she had given up later, but rather say that she realized that sometimes it is better to ask for help while help is still available rather than wait until it is too late.  
  
He pulled the car off to the side in front of a small store that looked like it was open. Hurriedly, they both hopped out of the car, trying to shield themselves from the sheets of rain that were now pummeling against the pavement and ran inside the store. Inside, it was warm and smelled wonderful; a mixture of baking bread and garlic with olive oil. Ron could feel his mouth start to water and didn't even notice that Hermione had walked off to try and find someone to help until he felt himself being tapped on the shoulder.  
  
He turned around and found himself face to face with air; until he looked down. A woman who looked to be in her late seventies stood before him, just barely reaching his chest. Her silver hair was wrapped up into a bun that sat high on her head and her eyes were a pretty gray, revealing a lively soul behind her seemingly frail demeanor. She smiled warmly up at him.  
  
"Ciao caro, e benvenuto al mercato italiano. Come posso aiutarlo?"  
  
Ron stood gaping, totally unsure of what to do or say.  
  
"Erm... come again?"  
  
A look of comprehension seemed to pass over her face as she smiled somewhat pityingly towards him. "L'OH caro, non avete idea che cosa sto dicendo a voi, voi? Hmm... buono forse la vostra moglie può aiutarlo"  
  
At the look of further confusion etched across his face (and the creeping redness that was making its way up his neck and also to the tips of his ears), the woman started to flail her arms in an attempt to try and pantomime her words.  
  
"La vostra moglie...," she pointed to the other side of the room, "Chiamata qui..." she made a sweeping motion towards them, "Forse posso," she pointed to herself, "comunicare," she made a gesture with her hand that resembled a person talking, "con la vostra moglie," she pointed to the other side of the room again and this time, Ron allowed his eyes to follow her gaze. His eyes rested on Hermione in her pair of jeans and moss-green, high-necked sweater shirt. Her hair was still damp from the rain and had little droplets of water clinging to it. She stood behind a counter, obviously looking for someone to speak with but to no avail. Ron watched as she bit her lip slightly and pulled her brown pea coat closer to herself.  
  
He shook his head, trying to clear his mind, and found the little woman once again poking him in the shoulder and pointing over to Hermione. Realization hit him as he realized what she meant and turned back towards the other side of the store.  
  
"Hermione! Oi, Hermione! Come here! I found someone!" She turned to face him and smiled brightly as she noticed the little old woman standing there with him.  
  
"Oh good! I was getting worried that no one was here," she said, relieved as she walked up beside him. "Did you ask her how to get to Madison Street?"  
  
"No," he replied simply.  
  
"Well, why not?" Hermione asked him, slightly annoyed.  
  
Ron automatically became defensive. "Don't blame me! It's not my fault she doesn't understand what I'm saying!"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Talk to her yourself if you don't believe me." And with that, Ron folded his arms, obviously ending their conversation. Hermione rolled her eyes at his actions, but then promptly turned to the old woman.  
  
"Excuse me, but do you think you could help us? We're a bit lost."  
  
The woman looked somewhat apologetic as she spoke to Hermione. "Sono spiacente, ma non parlo affatto inglese."  
  
Hermione's eyes widened slightly as the realization hit and she couldn't stop herself from smiling. "No dell'OH, è perfettamente tutto il di destra. Posso parlare italiano." "_Oh no, it's perfectly all right. I can speak Italian."  
_  
"Quanto meraviglioso! Stavo cominciando preoccuparsi che non potrei aiutarli." _"How wonderful! I was starting to worry that I wouldn't be able to help you."_  
  
"Così, li pensate potreste aiutarli a soddisfare?" _"So, do you think you could help us please?"  
_  
The woman smiled. "Che cosa posso fare per voi?" _"What can I do for you?"_  
  
Ron had slowly turned his head and watched in awe as Hermione spoke with the woman in perfect Italian. She seemed so comfortable and she spoke so naturally that you wouldn't have known that it was a second language. Or tenth...  
  
"Stavo domandandosi se poteste aiutare il miei amico e? Stiamo provando a trovare la via de Madison. Sapete potremmo ottenere là di qui?" _"I was wondering if you could help my friend and me. We're trying to find Madison Street. Do you know how we could get there from here?"  
_  
The woman pointed to the right as she spoke. "L'OH sì, è quattro blocchi giù che senso ed allora alla destra." _"Oh yes, it's four blocks down that way and then to the right."_  
  
"Soltanto quattro? Quanto meraviglioso! Grazie così tanto per il vostro aiuto." _"Only four? How wonderful! Thank you so much for your help."  
_  
The woman smiled. "Era problema. Spero appena che non abbia spaventato il vostro marito troppo. Tramite lo sguardo sulla sua faccia, direi che lo pensa insano." _"It was no problem. I just hope I didn't scare your husband too much. By the look on his face, I would say he thinks me insane."_ She pointed to Ron and chuckled slightly as his eyes widened and he looked over to Hermione for some sort of explanation.  
  
"Il mio... mio che cosa?" _"My...My what?"_  
  
"Bene, siete insieme non due?" _"Well, aren't you two together?"_  
  
"L'OH, bene, no. Che significo, sì, ma non 'insieme' insieme. Siamo amici giusti." _"Oh, well, no. I mean, yes, but not 'together' together. We're just friends."  
_  
A look of understanding came across the old woman's wrinkled face. "L'OH, vedo..." _"Oh, I see..." _She paused as she looked from Ron back to Hermione, a knowing smile adorning her face. "Bene, spero voi ed il vostro 'amici' abbia un giorno meraviglioso. Ed a proposito, se realmente è soltanto il vostro amico, quindi forse dovreste riconsiderare come realmente ritenete perché posso dire a dal senso che li guarda che non desidera essere 'amici giusti' con voi." _"Well, I hope you and your 'friend' have a wonderful day. And by the way, if he really is only your friend, then maybe you should reconsider how you really feel because I can tell from the way he looks at you that he does not want to be 'just friends' with you."  
_  
"Um, lo scusa?" _"Um, excuse me?" _Hermione looked at the woman somewhat confused.  
  
"È obviousm il mio caro. Il ragazzo è nell'amore con voi." _"It's obvious my dear. The boy is in love with you."  
_  
Hermione stared at the woman standing in front of her for a moment, her mind not fully grasping what she had just been told. _'Ron? In love with **me**? How is that possible?'_ Then almost instinctively, she looked over to Ron who was watching her intently, almost expectantly. He smiled encouragingly and she immediately felt a spark go off in her stomach, causing a fluttering sensation. Her face warmed and she looked away quickly, determined to look anywhere but at him.  
  
The old woman only smiled brighter and leaned in towards Hermione, speaking softer than before. "E giudicando dallo sguardo sulla vostra faccia, direi che siete nell'amore con lui anche." _"And judging from the look on your face, I'd say that you are in love with him too."_  
  
Hermione looked into the old woman's eyes, scared. She needed to see that this wasn't true, that the old woman was just joking with her; anything to make what she had said untrue. However as she gazed into the woman's clear, gray eyes, she saw no deception, no lies. Hermione's stomach flip flopped roughly inside of her again and she shook her head quickly. "Erm.. dobbiamo andare. Ma grazie ancora per la vostra bontà ed il pozzo..." _"Erm... I have to go. But thank you again for your kindness... and well..."_ She blushed a bright red, "Li ringrazia. Arrivederci." _"Thank you. Good bye."_  
  
Grabbing Ron by the arm, she quickly dragged him out of the store, blushing violently and trying hard to ignore his somewhat angered response to her sudden action as well as the thoughts that were screaming at her, making her head ache in response.  
  
She explained the directions to Ron quickly and immediately they had started down the road following the route mapped out to them by the old woman.  
  
"Are you feeling all right Hermione? You look a little out of it." Ron looked at her uneasily as she sat quietly in the passenger seat of the van, her eyes wide as she stared out the window watching the torrents of rain come crashing down to the earth.  
  
"I'm fine Ron. Just a little tired I suppose. And anxious to get there." She continued to watch as the rain fell gracefully, yet with such force. They were quiet a moment until finally Ron spoke again, this time a bit embarrassed.  
  
"You know, you were brilliant back there." Hermione turned to look at him, slightly surprised. He noticed this and continued on. "I mean it. Bloody fantastic. I couldn't believe that you were actually having a conversation with her. Of course, I didn't have a clue as to what you two were talking about, but really Hermione, you were amazing." He paused for a moment and then added, "I was really proud..."  
  
They both looked away from the other, their faces reddening slightly. Hermione smiled to herself as she let Ron's words wash over her. But then the old Italian woman's words came back to haunt her.  
  
_"It is obvious my dear. The boy is in love with you. And judging from the look on your face, I'd say that you are in love with him too."  
_  
Was it possible? But, more importantly, did she want it to be? She bit her lip as she tried to make sense of everything. Seeing Ron after three years had definitely stirred up some very strong emotions in her. Anger, regret, even hate. But love? _'There's a very thin line between love and hate.'  
_  
_'No,'_ she thought more sternly. _'I closed that chapter in my life long ago...and I know he must have to. Honestly Hermione, he's the one that broke up with you!'_  
  
At the thought of that day, Hermione felt a wave of sadness come over her. _'Brilliant way to ruin a good day...'_ she thought bitterly. She gazed over at Ron who was silently driving, trying hard to look out the windows. His hair, which was tousled and wet, seemed to be unusually bright compared to its dark and dreary surroundings. The maroon jumper he wore hugged his chest nicely as did his jeans which were now patched with dark blue from the rain. She smiled to herself and looked out the window.  
  
_'I suppose it would be poetic justice if Ron was to fall in love with me and then I was with Chris; a man who loves me so completely and who would never hurt me,'_ She thought diplomatically.  
  
_'But it doesn't do you any good if you are in love with him too, now does it?'_  
  
Hermione groaned in frustration in her seat. Ron looked over at her, watching her as she buried her head in her hands for the second time that day. "Er... Hermione?"  
  
She poked one eye out from behind her hands and gazed over at Ron. "I'm fine. Just have a headache is all."  
  
Ron gave her a lopsided smile. "Well then. Perfect timing." He looked out his window and it was only then that Hermione realized that they had stopped and that the car was now parked in front of her parents' house. "We're here!" he said happily as he flashed her another grin. She smiled back at him, trying to appear that all was right, however her mind was still burning with many unanswered questions as she got out of the car and walked up the gravel pathway leading to her parents' house.  
  
Ron knocked on the door and they stood waiting for someone to answer. _'Don't worry about it now. This isn't the time. Plus, you're going to need some "professional" help as well.'_ She smiled and shook her head slightly as she thought of the reaction she would get when she told the story to her friend. _'Just have fun tonight and let whatever will happen, happen. No use worrying now. Tonight, you are just visiting your parents with your friend Ron...who just happens to be your ex-boyfriend and first true-love...'_  
  
"Oh, _Merlin_..." she muttered gloomily as the door swung open to reveal Mr. and Mrs. Granger grinning cheerfully down at their daughter. 

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	6. The Invitation

**Chapter 6  
  
The Invitation**

****  
  
If Ron had thought that dinner at the Granger's had been a slightly awkward one, (what with Mr. Granger giving him looks throughout the meal, how could it not have been?) it was nothing compared to the dinner that he was sitting through tonight.  
  
It was less than two weeks away from Christmas now, and things were tense in Rhiney Manor. Hermione was constantly being asked to translate things like memos, letters, and contracts as well as going out to meetings as last minute shipments were being placed and you could see the wear starting to show in her. Chris was constantly locked up in his study, working on orders that were being made, starting early and ending late. His usually sharp look and cheery demeanor seemed to be wearing thin. Ron and Tony had both been hit with an overwhelming amount of paperwork which had only seemed to have gotten worse, especially since the department had started to receive warning letters from the I.W.P. talking about a surprise attack. Even the servants seemed on edge as they ran around, trying to help everyone in anyway that they could without getting in the way.  
  
However the tensions had seemed to reach its peak only last week when Chris had announced to everyone that he would have to go on a particularly long business trip from the sixteenth until the twenty eighth; meaning he was missing Christmas. The whole household, including Ron and Tony, had stood outside the doors to the living room with their ears pressed against them, listening to the blazing row going on between Hermione and Chris. Ron, who was never very keen on Chris, even felt sorry for him knowing that when Hermione was angry, she was definitely a force to be reckoned with.  
  
The row itself had started out fairly calmly with Hermione being upset that he was choosing to work rather than spend the holidays at home, while Chris tried to calm her down to explain that he wasn't choosing to, but rather that he _had_ to go. However, things quickly turned for the worse, finally ending with the doors magically bursting open with such force, that many people were knocked down; one even fell into a large glass vase that shattered. Hermione came stomping out furiously, her hair wild, eyes blazing and her hands in tight fists. As she quickly made her way up the stairs, Chris came out of the living room, his perfectly combed hair falling messily into his face, his robes twisted and his eyes burning with anger and frustration.  
  
As she reached the upstairs landing, Chris, his face red with anger, yelled up to her, "This isn't my fault Hermione! If I didn't have to, I wouldn't go, but you're being absolutely ridiculous about it!!!"  
  
It was obviously the wrong thing to say. Hermione whipped around, shaking with anger, and screamed back, "Oh am I? Well at least I'm not being a selfish, work-obsessed, GIT that's **ABANDONING YOU ON CHRISTMAS!!!!**"  
  
She whipped herself around again and walked into her room, promptly slamming the door shut with such force that some of the windows shook. Chris stood gaping and spluttering for a moment, then, realizing what had just happened, yelled out in frustration while pulling his hair, and stomped off towards his office, slamming his door shut as well.  
  
After that episode, everyone had seemed to be walking around on eggshells, making sure not to push anyone else's buttons. Chris had of course, promptly apologized to Hermione, who also apologized back to him, and things seemed to be back to normal between the two of them, but as they sat at the table on Chris' last night before his trip, silently eating their meals, the tension seemed to be reaching a breaking point once again.  
  
Ron couldn't help but feel like he was watching one of those Muggle tennis games, looking between Chris and Hermione, waiting for one of them to speak. Surprising most everyone however, the first to speak was actually neither of them.  
  
"So Chris, do you think you are all packed for the trip tomorrow?"  
  
Tony had decided that since no one else was making a move to lighten the mood, that he would.  
  
Unfortunately, the topic he chose was not the best one at the moment.  
  
Chris glanced warily over at Hermione who was pushing her broccoli across her plate, her face unreadable. "Yes, I think I have, but I might have a couple things left. Mostly just miscellaneous things however."  
  
Tony nodded. "Yes, I was trying to get a hold of Kingsley when we went into the Ministry to see if I could send off a few more reports to him. I guess his secretary was out for the day." He looked over to Ron. "Actually Ron, do you think you could stop by the Ministry again for me? I know Kingsley had wanted them soon, and I was hoping you could give them to Lisa for me since—"  
  
"Since you're not going to be here."  
  
The quiet, but bitter response from Hermione had a powerful affect over the people at the table. Ron, who had been dreading the chance of having to face Lisa again, instantly turned toward Hermione who sat across from him, staring down at her plate, her eyes cold and distant. Tony looked somewhat apprehensively at Chris, almost apologetic, but Chris just stared over at Hermione, his face worn and tired.  
  
"Hermione..." Chris began.  
  
"Well it's true, isn't it? Starting tomorrow, you and Tony will be off doing your ever-pressing work and won't be home again until after Christmas." Hermione said this nonchalantly, however it was obvious that she didn't really feel that way.  
  
Chris sighed heavily, throwing his napkin down onto plate. "What do you want me to do Hermione?" he asked tensely. "Call the whole thing off? Because I could do that, and I'm sure that when I told them the reason why I had to break off the business deal was because my girlfriend wanted me to be home, they would be _extremely_ understanding."  
  
Hermione looked up from her plate, glaring at him. Ron could tell that she had her hands clenched tightly underneath the table and couldn't help but feel grateful that he wasn't on the receiving end of what was to come. "I don't want you to call it off Chris. No, because we both know it's too late to do that now. What I want you to do is understand why I might be a bit upset. Maybe we haven't been together for a great amount of time, but I would have liked to spend Christmas with you this year since my parents are going away and now I'm stuck all alone in this huge house, that I still am getting used to by the way. But no, you found it to be quite all right to plan a business venture during Christmas, proving once again that you only care about one thing."  
  
"I only care about one thing? And what about you Hermione?" he snapped back at her.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?!?" she yelled back at him, her body trembling with rage.  
  
"Oh don't act so innocent love, you know damn well what I'm talking about!!" Ron could feel his own anger starting to rise inside of him as he watched Chris yelling at Hermione. It was one thing when Hermione and he had a row because they had been going at it since they were eleven, but watching anyone else, especially the person who was supposed to _love_ her yelling at her like that, made his blood boil much like how it would whenever Malfoy would say something to her.  
  
"Honestly Christopher! What the hell are you talking about?!?!"  
  
"You and I both know that this business trip means as much to you as it does to me because without it, I could lose a lot of money and God only knows what would happen to my business if I lost that much, but more importantly, what would happen to _you_. Do you really think that I believe you are here because you actually love me?!" He gave a short, cold laugh. "I'm not an idiot Hermione, I know exactly why you want to be with me because it's the same bloody reason every other woman wants to be with me!" He was silent a moment, breathing hard. Hermione looked absolutely livid and Ron could feel himself gripping his napkin painfully as he glared over at Chris.  
  
Chris then spoke again, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "Think about it Hermione. Would you honestly be with me if I didn't have all that I do?"  
  
Hermione's jaw dropped and her eyes instantly seemed to cloud over. Ron looked incredulously over to Chris who just seemed to be frozen, his dark brown eyes blazing as he stared coldly at Hermione.  
  
Hermione stood abruptly, throwing her napkin down hard, her eyes glistening. "You _idiot_! I can't believe...how..." she yelled out in frustration, burying her head in her hands before bringing it out again, red with fury and hurt. "Since when have I given the impression that money _ever_ mattered?!?" Ron could hear the hitch in her voice and his heart lurched painfully. "No Christopher, it's not me who cares about all this stuff; it's _you_. You care more about all this than you do me... and I was just a fool for not seeing it before." She turned quickly and hurried out of the room leaving everyone else in a stunned silence.  
  
Without even thinking, Ron got up from his chair and ran after Hermione, leaving Tony and Chris to look on in confusion. He went up the stairs, taking two at a time, and reached her bedroom door. Knocking, he waited for an answer but was only greeted with silence.  
  
"Come on Hermione, please open up," he pleaded. Again, all he got was silence in return so he grabbed for the doorknob, twisting it to try and open it. However, it wouldn't budge.  
  
"Great..." he muttered to himself as he pulled out his wand. Pointing it at the door, he mumbled "_Alohamora_," and heard a small _click!_ as it opened. He pushed it slightly, inching his way into the room slowly and looked around. The room was modest and neat, very much like Hermione, with shelves filled high with books. Her bed sat against the wall opposite the door, with Crookshanks balled up at the top on one of the pillows, and next to it sat a small bedside table with a book and a small pair of reading glasses. There was a fireplace across from the bed and on the mantel sat a pretty clock and a few pictures of Hermione and her parents as well as a few of Harry, Hermione and him all together at Hogwarts.  
  
A cold breeze caught Ron's attention and he looked across the room to the far side to find a set of doors slightly ajar. Walking towards them, he could see the silhouette of Hermione standing out on her balcony, looking out at the night sky. Quietly, he walked outside and could feel the instant rush of cold, crisp December air hit his body. He rubbed his hands together instinctively as he walked up beside her and looked out, following her gaze. She seemed to take no notice of him as he stood silently beside her but continued to look out at the fields of white snow that covered the ground.  
  
"It's a beautiful night..." he stated lamely. Ron looked over to see if she would respond but what surprised to see that a single tear had escaped down her cheek.  
  
"Hermione—"  
  
"Don't," she answered quietly. She swiped angrily at her face, drying the rebellious tear that had fallen against her will and sniffed, trying to compose herself again. "I'm fine. Really, I am. Silly of me anyway..." she glanced quickly over at Ron who looked back at her, unconvinced.  
  
He was quiet a moment, then turned to her again, speaking in low, warm tones. "Hermione, what he said... it was totally out of line. He had no right saying it at all and if I had half a mind, I'd go down there right now and teach him a lesson for ever saying something that—"  
  
"You said it," she said softly.  
  
Ron looked confused. "What?"  
  
She turned to face him again, her eyes filled with tears that threatened to fall. "You said that I was only with him because he was rich. The first day you were here you said it to me." She closed her eyes and another stray tear rolled down her cheek. "And now Chris said it too and I—"her voice hitched again and she looked away, not wanting Ron to see her cry.  
  
Guilt burned inside of him as he mentally kicked himself for ever being such a jerk to her and saying such horrible things. "Hermione," he started, but she refused to look at him. Finally, he reached over and gently pulled her face up so that she was looking right into his cool, blue eyes. "Hermione, what I said that first day was out of anger. I never meant a word of it because none of it was true. You would never care if someone was the richest man in the U.K. with everything a person could desire or..." he paused for a moment and stared down at his shoes briefly, working up his courage.  
  
"Or what?" she asked quietly.  
  
He gazed back into her brown eyes. "Or if he was a poor kid from a big, noisy family with nothing."  
  
Hermione's eyes softened and her lips formed into a small smile. "No," she said, "I wouldn't care. Not even if he _was_ a poor kid from a big, noisy family. Never."  
  
Ron grinned playfully down at her and she smiled back, her eyes shining in the moonlight. The cold air had brought a rosy coloring to her cheeks and the place where her tears had fallen glistened. Without hesitation, Ron gently brought his hand up to her cheek and gently wiped away the trail that they had left. Without meaning to, her eyes fluttered shut at the warmth of his touch and Ron reveled in the feel of her soft, smooth skin in his hand. She opened her eyes again and looked back up at him and they stood there, studying each other, lost in the moment.  
  
A small hissing sound from inside Hermione's bedroom caused them to tear their gaze away from one another and towards the doors which were left a little ajar.  
  
"Bloody cat... I'm just trying to find Hermione..." came the voice from inside the room. Recognizing it immediately, Ron and Hermione flew apart as if they had been burned and faced the door as it opened.  
  
In the doorway stood Chris, looking tired and frazzled. He looked at Hermione imploringly, but she gazed back icily. Ron even glared at him, trying not to think about how wonderful it had felt to have Hermione so close to him again.  
  
"Er...Hi Hermione," he said lamely, looking highly embarrassed.  
  
"Hello," she replied curtly. She stiffened as he started to walk out onto the balcony and he stopped in mid stride.  
  
"Do you think that, erm, well, we could talk? Alone?" he added, looking over to Ron. Ron just stared back, making no effort to move.  
  
"Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of Ron. I trust him." She looked over at Ron and smiled slightly before turning back to Chris.  
  
"Hermione..."  
  
"Chris, if you want to talk to me, then you had better do it now because otherwise, I would like to just curl up in bed with a book and you should probably head off to bed as well. You have an early morning tomorrow."  
  
Chris sighed heavily. "Look, can we at least move inside then, it's so cold out here; you're going to get sick."  
  
Somewhat reluctantly, the three of them walked back inside of Hermione's room. Chris walked over to Hermione's bed and made to sit down, but Crookshanks was having none of that and hissed noisily at Chris.  
  
"Look, Hermione..." Chris looked hesitantly over at Ron then back to Hermione who stood stiffly, her arms crossed. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then looked at her beseechingly. "Hermione, I never wanted to hurt you. Ever. What I said down stairs was... God, it was so stupid. I wasn't thinking; I was just angry and stressed and I took it out on you. I _do_ understand why you are upset and you're right; you have a right to be. And I wish more than anything I could take back ever agreeing to do this stupid trip, but I can't. And if it makes any difference, I had originally made the plans for this trip long before I had started seriously dating you. In fact, if I remember correctly, you were the one who translated one of the first meetings between the other company and mine, and I think it was after that meeting that I finally worked up the courage to ask you out. So really, I guess you could say that we should be thanking them." He smiled slightly at the memory and Ron noticed Hermione start to relax a little.  
  
"I'm an idiot Hermione. A big, fat headed, stupid, bleeding idiot who didn't think. I don't know what came over me downstairs and if I could take it back, I would in a heartbeat because..." he glanced at Ron quickly, then continued on, almost laughing at himself. "Because I bloody love you so damn much that I don't know what to do with myself! I can never stop thinking about you and it absolutely _kills_ me to think that I haven't been able to spend time with you like on your birthday and now on Christmas too!" He walked up to her, taking her hands into his own and looked straight into her eyes. "You are the most amazing woman I've ever met in my life and all I want to do is make you happy. I love you Hermione and all I'm asking is that you at least consider forgiving me just this once and let make it up to you. Please, say you'll forgive me?"  
  
Hermione's brown eyes were glistening again with unshed tears and she looked away from him for a moment. "You're wrong," she said quietly.  
  
"Wha...What?" Chris asked, confused.  
  
"You don't have a fat head." She looked up, a shy smile playing on her pink lips. He smiled even brighter and picked her up into a tight hug, swinging her around in a circle with him, causing her to squeal loudly. Ron watched in an awkward silence, feeling out of place and wishing more than anything that he could just disappear as he watched the couple hold each other lovingly.  
  
Chris pulled away, still holding her hands. "I'm going to make this up to you. I promise. When I get back, we are going to throw the most brilliant New Years Eve party ever, and you can invite whoever you want! Your wish is my command Hermione. Of course, we will have to check with the Ministry," he nodded over to Ron who just stared down at his hands, his stomach twisting painfully, "but I mean it Hermione. I'm going to make all this up to you somehow..." He kissed her hands lovingly. "So, does this mean that I am forgiven?"  
  
"We'll see about that." She laughed and hit him playfully as he looked at her with puppy eyes. "Now go, you need to finish packing for your trip and get to bed early. Plus, I wasn't kidding earlier when I said that I just wanted to get into bed and read."  
  
"All right then, love. I'll see you tomorrow." He kissed her on the lips tenderly, causing Ron to pale and his insides to rumble with fury and jealousy. He then pulled away smiling as he reluctantly walked to the door. Before he left however, he turned back to Ron who was staring pointedly at his feet. "Oh, and Ron? Do you think you could ask Kingsley about the party when you go into the Ministry with the paperwork? It would probably be best if he knew as soon as possible." Ron nodded vaguely, not really hearing, nor caring, what was being said to him.  
  
"Excellent. Well then, goodnight to both of you." He closed the door gently behind him, leaving Ron and Hermione alone in the room once again.  
  
Ron watched Hermione for a moment as she smiled quietly to herself. Finally, feeling sad and uncomfortable, Ron headed towards the door, sure that she wouldn't even notice. _'Everything had been going so well and then that bloody **bastard** had to show up...'  
_  
"Ron?"  
  
He turned around to see Hermione watching him leave, somewhat surprised to see him go. "Didn't you want to...well, stay and talk?"  
  
She looked at him so earnestly and Ron could see that she genuinely wanted him to stay, but every time he looked into her deep, brown eyes, all he saw was Chris kissing her and Chris telling her he loved her.  
  
"No, I think I'm just going to head off to bed too." He turned and started to walk towards the door again only to be stopped once more by the sound of Hermione's voice calling out to him.  
  
"Ron?...I...I just wanted to say thank you."  
  
He looked a bit taken aback. "For what?"  
  
She smiled. "For being my friend and making me feel better when no one else could. And for being willing to stay here in this huge house all alone with me on Christmas. I know it can't be your ideal way to spend the holidays, especially since you're working, but thank you for doing it. I can't imagine having to be here all by myself."  
  
He gave a small smirk and shrugged. "It's nothing. Besides, we'll find a way to make the best out of this. We always do." She grinned back at him and nodded in agreement and they stood somewhat uncomfortably for a moment before Ron spoke again. "Well, I guess I should let you get to your reading."  
  
"Yeah...'Night Ron."  
  
"'Night Hermione." He walked out and closed the door behind him, relieved to have finally gotten out of the room. It wasn't Hermione's fault of course, it was that stupid arse _Christopher Rhiney's_ fault. But he shook his head, ridding his mind of anymore thoughts of either of them, grateful for the prospect of curling up into his bed and falling into a deep sleep.  
  
He opened the door to his room and found himself almost taken out by a flying mass of feathers zooming cheerfully around the room. Ron knew instantly what it was as it squeaked jovially. Soaring about, it took Ron a bit to finally get it to calm down long enough for him to pull off the scroll of paper attached to its leg.  
  
"Pig! You git! Slow down!" Ron threw a small pillow from off of his bed at it, causing it to make a crash landing onto his bed. However, instantly it was sitting back up again, squawking loudly as Ron grabbed the scroll and handed him some owl treats to eat.  
  
Ron sat down on the edge of his bed and opened up the scroll to see the familiar swirled handwriting belonging to his baby sister Ginny. He smiled as he read the note, amused by his sister's usual antics.  
  
_ Dear Ron,  
  
I hope that you don't find Pig too annoying and that the little git was able to get this to you. I swear, I would have never thought that any other bird could be as bad as Errol, but apparently I was wrong. Even though they are complete opposites, they both are impossible to deal with. I almost think that you didn't leave him with us as a gift after Errol died but rather as a way of getting rid of him yourself.  
  
Anyway, how are you? It feels like it's been ages since I last saw you. I suppose it's because you were training so hard to be an Auror, but now it's done! Congratulations on making it big bro; I always knew you would.  
  
Well, the reason why I am writing to you, (and yes, I checked to see if it was okay to send you a note or not while you were out on a "mission" and I was told it was fine by some tartish woman working as a secretary in the Auror division. Honestly, I wonder how **she** got the job. Note the obvious sarcasm) is on behalf of our dear parents asking you to please try and come home for Christmas. Now, we all know that you have very pressing matters, being that you are a big time Auror now, but don't forget that you still are a Weasley first and foremost; you can't hide from us!  
  
Look, all we're asking is that you try and steal away for a couple of days so that you can spend the traditional Christmas Eve dinner here at home with the rest of your family. Everyone is coming this year too, even Harry surprisingly enough, so you have to come! Plus, Bill is bringing his new baby Charlotte home and you have to see her! She's absolutely gorgeous; a definite Weasley with a full head of red hair and creamy white skin. Looks like you and I are now Uncle Ron and Aunt Ginny. (And now Mum is officially a Grandmum. You should have seen her when she heard the news!)  
  
Anyway, just **try** to come home. We all miss you terribly and you know how much it would mean to Mum if she could have the whole family here. And it would be nice for me to see my favorite older brother too.  
  
Hope things are going well with you and your case. Harry says that it's tough, but things are going well and hopefully you will be able to catch the criminals behind all this soon. Oh, and send Hermione our love. (Mum says to let her know that she's welcome to come as well because she's practically family anyway, so tell her that too. wink wink nudge nudge!)  
  
Love you always,  
**Gin**_

Ron folded up the letter in his hands and smiled. Then getting up, he walked to the door and down the hall, stopping in front of Hermione's door and readied himself to tell her that their plans of staying in this lonely house together for Christmas looked like they were about to change.  
  
----------------  
  
"So, you just have to turn in the papers to Lisa, tell her about this New Years Eve party and then you are free to do as you both like!" Tony spoke quickly to Ron as they stood next to the train that would take Chris and himself to Germany where they were holding part of their business meeting.  
  
"Yes, I know. We went over it a hundred times! I may be a rookie, but I think I can handle this. Plus, I'll have Hermione breathing down my neck about it anyway, so don't worry. It'll get done one way or another." The two men laughed as they glanced over at Hermione who, while holding a disgruntled Crookshanks, seemed to be re-checking all of Chris' bags to make sure he had everything he needed. Ron looked back up at Tony. "I just feel bad for you mate. You're the one who has to go on this trip and you won't get to see your family at all."  
  
Tony smiled knowingly. "No but you see, I will. My wife is bringing our children over to Germany for Christmas so that we could spend it together. So really, it won't be that bad. It looks like the both of us will be spending Christmas with our families this year, doesn't it?"  
  
"Yeah it does..." Ron glanced over to Hermione who was now talking in quiet tones to Chris, the both of them looking very sullen. A loud warning whistle from the train told the four of them that they had better get moving and they all started bringing the luggage onto the train. Once Tony and Chris had been settled in, they came out for another quick goodbye.  
  
"I'm really sorry about all this—"  
  
"Shh," Hermione cut Chris off with a wave of her hand, "Don't be. You're going to make it up to me anyway, remember?" She smiled brightly at him and he grinned back down at her.  
  
"What would I do without you Hermione Granger?" He cleared his throat awkwardly then reached for something inside of his robes. "This was supposed to be your Christmas present, but being that I'm not going to be here, I figured now is as good a time as any." He pulled out a small, velvet box that was maroon in color from out of his robes and held it out to Hermione. Crookshanks, who had now jumped down from her arms and joined Ron by his side, started hissing as Chris placed the box into Hermione's hand. Her eyes became wide as she stared at it and Ron felt like someone had just slipped a large chunk of ice into his stomach.  
  
_'Please don't let that be what I think it is...' _  
  
Hermione stood staring at the small box that lay in her palm for a while, her eyes still wide, and finally Chris prodded her on. "Well, open it!"  
  
With slight apprehension, she carefully opened the box and Ron waited in anticipation, watching her face intently, trying to see her reaction. She stared at the opened box and closed her eyes.  
  
_'Oh God...'_  
  
His chest was heaving and the panic in the pit of his stomach built as he watched her smile brightly and fling her arms around Chris' neck.  
  
"So you like it?" Chris asked excitedly.  
  
"Yes! They're beautiful! Oh Chris, thank you!" she kissed him on the cheek and hugged him again before bringing the box over to Ron and Tony. "Oh, just look at these earrings! Aren't they gorgeous?" Inside the small maroon box sat a dazzling pair of sapphire studs that blinked and glimmered in the light. Relief spread through Ron like a warm Butterbeer and he felt lightheaded.  
  
"They're your birthstone..." Ron said vaguely, a stupid smile plastered on his face.  
  
"They're magnificent Chris. Beautiful job choosing them," Tony added, patting Chris heartily on the back.  
  
The second whistle blew loudly and the four of them gathered themselves quickly, saying their last goodbyes.  
  
"Take care of yourself Ron, and try not to get into too much trouble with Harry over Christmas!" Tony said before getting onto the train.  
  
"I'll write to you everyday," Hermione said as she hugged Chris tightly.  
  
"And I'll write back. I'll miss you love."  
  
"And I'll miss you." Chris gave her a quick peck on the lips before jumping onto the train as well. It gave a great lurch and then started to noisily gain speed.  
  
"Have a safe trip!" Ron yelled to the two of them who had their heads sticking out the window.  
  
"Have a good Christmas! Take care of yourselves!" Tony yelled back.  
  
Ron and Hermione stood watching as the train became smaller and smaller until it finally disappeared from sight. Ron heard the familiar loud purring from Crookshanks as he looked down to find him rubbing up against his leg appreciatively. Ron bent down to pick him up and then turned to face Hermione. She looked over at him, a smile on her face, as she grabbed her bag by her feet and held it close to her side, her wand pulled out already.  
  
Ron grabbed his bag as well and took out his wand smiling back at Hermione. "Ready?" he asked, one eyebrow raised playfully.  
  
She grinned back at him. "Weasley house, here we come!"  
  
And with two small _pop!_'s, the two had Disapparated only to reappear in the front hallway of the Burrow.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------

And now, finally off to the Burrow we go! However, before we go, I think you all should take a breather. Go get something to eat, take a shower, oh, and of course, REVIEW! Yes, it might be in the middle of the story, but just bloody do it. You know you want to...


	7. Home, Sweet Home and Maddening Musical M...

**Chapter 7  
  
Home, Sweet Home and Maddening Musical Mistletoe**

**  
**  
As soon as Hermione and Ron had Apparated into the hallway, they were met with a blast of noise that left them standing there, listening to the madness that was the Weasley family.  
  
"Ginny! Can you check the pies for me?"  
  
"Mum! Have you seen the baby's pacifier anywhere?"  
  
"Dad, you have to see this new letter I just got from Richardson! It's about the World Cup—"  
  
"Not now Percy! I may be Minister of Magic, but honestly, I'm on vacation!"  
  
"Ginny! Did you check those pies?!?"  
  
BANG!  
  
"ARGH!!!"  
  
"Ooh! Sorry there Charlie!"  
  
"Yeah, wasn't expecting it to go off right then!"  
  
"You bloody idiots! You could have blown by hand off!"  
  
"Oh come on Charles! You work with dragons!"  
  
"Yeah, you must be used to this sort of thing by now, and if you're not—"  
  
"—then I would have to say that I'm a little more than a bit worried about whether or not you're really qualified to be a dragon trainer."  
  
"Bill? Did you find Charlotte's pacifier yet? She needs to go down soon!"  
  
"I'm looking love, I'm looking! Mum! Have you found it?"  
  
"Check in the living room Bill! And Ginny—"  
  
"I CHECKED THE BLOODY THINGS ALREADY SO LEAVE IT ALONE!"  
  
"Ginny!! Don't speak to your mother that way!!"  
  
"Yeah Gin, you should know better than to mess with Mum..."  
  
"Even we know—"  
  
"—And that's saying something."  
  
"Mum! Have you seen my owl anywhere?"  
  
"Percy, please tell me that you aren't working while on vacation..."  
  
"Dad, I would have thought that you would be happy to see—"  
  
"I didn't want to do this but it looks like it's come down to it. Percy, as Minister of Magic, I order you to stop working and help your brother find Charlotte's pacifier."  
  
"Dad! NO!"  
  
"Mum! What should I do with these pies! There's no room!"  
  
"Just put them on the table!"  
  
"Ginny, could you help look for Charlotte's pacifier? Honestly, remind me not to send a man to do a woman's job..."  
  
"FRED AND GEORGE! STOP FOOLING AROUND AND JUST SET THE TABLE!!!"  
  
"Honestly Mum—"  
  
"—Where's your sense of humor?"  
  
"I'll go and check the other rooms Laura. I'll be right back."  
  
Ron turned to Hermione with an apologetic look on his face. She looked back at him however with her face aglow. She smiled radiantly, mirth and joy emanating from her as they heard the shouts issuing from inside the house.  
  
"It's good to be back," she said happily and giggled lightly as Ron's face broke out into a wide grin. Footsteps brought their attention back to the household, and just as they were about to gather up their things again, they found themselves face to face with Ginny.  
  
She stared at them in disbelief for a moment, as if trying to fully comprehend that they were really there, standing in front of her. Then, she beamed brightly and screamed, causing both Hermione and Ron to jump slightly, as she flung herself onto Ron, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.  
  
"Oh RON! I can't believe it's really you! Oh, it's so good to see you! I've missed you so much!!" She squeezed him tightly and Ron gasped for air.  
  
"I...missed you too....Gin, do you mind?" She laughed at him and then let him go, still smiling brightly.  
  
"Mum is going to be absolutely ecstatic when she sees you here! She was worried you wouldn't be able to make it." She stared up at her older brother for a moment and then flung her arms around him once again. Ron grunted at the unexpected force.  
  
"Ginny...geroff me! Honestly..." he said this somewhat annoyed with her actions, but still smiled brightly and hugged her back.  
  
Ginny just looked up at him, her eyes shining slightly. "It's just so nice to see you again. I've really missed you Ron... even if you are a great git."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
He swatted her arm playfully, earning a rather hard punch in the arm back as the both of them laughed. Hermione, who had been watching this all bemusedly coughed slightly and Ginny looked over to where she stood. She stared at her somewhat stunned to see her there, and spoke quietly, almost scared that if she spoke to loudly, Hermione would disappear.  
  
"Is it... really you?" she seemed slightly choked up as she spoke and Hermione smiled kindly back at her.  
  
"Yes, it's really me."  
  
Ginny's face broke out into another large grin, and this time, both women squealed as they embraced each other warmly, their eyes shimmering. "I can't believe you're here! Oh Hermione, I've missed you so much!" Ginny smiled though her eyes were filled with tears.  
  
"I've missed you to Ginny! I mean, writing to you is nice but I've missed being with you. It's been too long..." Ron watched as the two women hugged each other lovingly and couldn't help but feel comforted. Being home for the holidays was exactly the kind of vacation he needed.  
  
More footsteps sounded down the hallway and all three heads turned as two men with flaming hair and wicked smiles came walking in.  
  
"Ginny, what are you..." Both stopped dead in their tracks as they stared at Hermione.  
  
She smiled back warmly and said, "Hello Fred. Hello George."  
  
They glanced at each other momentarily then smiled, and before she could protest, Fred and George had surrounded her, hugging her tightly between the two of them.  
  
"It's so wonderful to see you back home Hermione!" Fred said cheerfully as he squeezed her tightly.  
  
"It just hasn't been the same around here since you left," George added, squeezing her as well. Hermione looked ready to pop and squirmed in protest, but like quicksand, it caused the twins to move in closer to her.  
  
"Would you let her go before you suffocate her already? Honestly, you two are the biggest prats..." Ginny pulled George off of Hermione who smiled gratefully towards her.  
  
"Well at least now we know why you were shrieking so much. We thought you had seen a ghost—"  
  
"—Or Harry."  
  
"Oh, har har," Ginny said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.  
  
Fred smiled devilishly over to George. "You know, Mum is going to be absolutely thrilled to see that Hermione is here, wouldn't you say George?"  
  
George smiled roguishly back at him. "Yes I would. Do you suppose we should take her in to see Mum now?"  
  
"Why, I think that's a brilliant idea George."  
  
Again, before any protests could be made, they had swooped down upon Hermione. Fred picked her up, causing her to yell out in surprise and threw her over his shoulder, carrying her much like he would a sack of potatoes.  
  
"No! Please, put me down!! Oh, HONESTLY!!!" She laughed and squirmed fiercely as she tried to free herself but Fred help tight.  
  
"You two are horrible!" Ginny tried to get over to Fred to try and help Hermione but George held her back.  
  
"Oh come on Gin-Gin. We're only taking her into the kitchen. There's no harm in it, we swear." As they started for the kitchen, Ron, who had been sitting back watching as they played with Hermione, finally spoke up as he saw her flail and kick wildly, crying out in objection to what they were doing.  
  
"Hey! What about me? Don't I even get a hello?"  
  
The twins seemed to pause for a moment, contemplating his statement, then turned back to him again. "Hello," they said in unison, then laughing at Ron's gaping face, turned back towards the doorway leading into the kitchen.  
  
Inside, things were just as chaotic as before and no one even noticed when Fred and George came strolling in proudly, Hermione still flailing around and Ginny and Ron both following, trying to get to her.  
  
George got up onto a chair and turned to address the room. "LADIES AND GENTELMEN! MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!!"  
  
"George Weasley you get down from that chair this instant!!"  
  
"Now Mum, just wait a minute. There is someone here that hasn't been here in a very long time and do you really want her first memory back to be you yelling at me?"  
  
Mrs. Weasley looked skeptically at the twins then noticed the person still kicking desperately in Fred's arms. Her eyes then wandered to the side of the room where Ron and Ginny stood watching as Fred finally let down his captive. She squealed delightedly, then went over to Ron, gathering him up into a large, overwhelming hug.  
  
"Oh, Ron! You're here, you're really here!" she looked at him tearfully then hugged him again. "Oh, this is wonderful! Now the whole family is together again and—"  
  
"Mum! Aren't you forgetting someone?" Fred and George stepped to the side, leaving Hermione standing in the middle of the room with all eyes upon her.  
  
"What are you two going on..." she stopped abruptly as her gaze finally fell upon Hermione who shifted uncomfortably under it.  
  
Fred and George grinned as the whole room seemed to be in awe at Hermione's presence and said, "Mum, you remember Hermione, don't you?"  
  
The whole room was silent as they looked from Mrs. Weasley to Hermione. Mrs. Weasley stood glued to her spot, her face already stained with tears and her lips in a bright, yet trembling smile. Finally, she walked slowly over to Hermione and cradled Hermione's head in her hands. The two women stood staring at one another, both with tears streaming down their faces, then finally embraced tightly.  
  
Ron stood to the side, smiling brightly as Hermione and his mother held each other lovingly and couldn't help but feel at peace. Ginny, who was also crying slightly, leaned into her big brother's side and he instinctively brought his arm around her protectively.  
  
"I have a feeling this is going to be a good Christmas," she said quietly to Ron as they watched the rest of the family move in towards Hermione to welcome her back.  
  
Ron watched Hermione as she laughed and smiled radiantly. Her curls bounced playfully as she turned to greet everyone and her face was slightly pink from all the commotion. However, with her eyes slightly puffy, her wild hair bouncing, and her laugh ringing out, Ron could only look at her and think that she was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen in his life.  
  
"Yeah," he said, as Hermione turned and looked straight into his eyes from across the room, "it will be."  
  
-------------  
  
It was the day of Christmas Eve and if Ron had thought he'd remembered how crazy the Burrow could get, then he was sorely mistaken. He found himself cramped up in his small room again, which he was sharing with Harry, waking up each morning to the shrill screams of his infant niece, Charlotte. The days were loud and boisterous, filled with everyone running around doing multiple tasks at once, trying to prepare for Christmas. Harry's return to the Burrow was definitely one of the loudest days there and rivaled Hermione's in that all anyone wanted to do was bombard him with hugs and kisses and questions, asking him about how he was, how work was and what was happening with him recently. However, as Ron groggily got up from his warm bed, he could already hear the commotion that was going on downstairs and could tell it was going to be a very long day.  
  
Taking a look around the room, he could see that Harry had already made his way downstairs, so after putting on a large maroon jumper over his pajama shirt, he headed down to the kitchen. At the table sat most of the family already eating and talking excitedly.  
  
"Oh good Ron, you're up! Here, sit down and have something to eat." Mrs. Weasley shoved a plate into Ron's hands and pushed him down into a chair next in between Charlie and Percy. Across from him sat Bill and his wife Laura who were feeding their daughter, Charlotte, while Hermione and Ginny sat talking with Harry animatedly. Ron gazed at Hermione as she laughed at something Harry had said. She was still in her pajamas and pink robe but her eyes sparkled with excitement and joy as she joked with the others.  
  
"So Harry, do you think that you finally finished all your shopping or are we going to have to make an emergency run down to Diagon Alley for some last minute gifts?" Hermione asked playfully as she took a sip from her mug of orange juice.  
  
Ginny, who was sitting in between Harry and Hermione, smiled and answered before he could open his mouth. "Yeah, he did the last time we all went into Diagon Alley but thank God you and I were there. I don't think these two would have ever left that damn Quidditch store if we hadn't been there to drag them out of it."  
  
"Hey!" Harry said, trying to look affronted, but smiling all the same, "I can shop on my own thank you very much! I don't need someone to baby sit me all the time." Ginny just smiled teasingly at him and took a bite out of a piece of bacon.  
  
"Well, I hope that my mum and dad like their gifts. I sent them off with my gift for Chris the other day and I just hope that they will get to them in time."  
  
Ron looked curiously across the table at Hermione. "When did you get something for Chris?"  
  
"When we went shopping. I was unsure as to what to get him though. I mean, how do you get something for someone who already has everything he needs and who always finds a way to make whatever you get him look like rubbish when compared to what he's already gotten you?"  
  
Ginny smiled dreamily. "You mean those gorgeous earrings he got you? Lord, Hermione. I don't blame you for being unsure, but I also don't feel a bit bad for you either."  
  
Hermione smiled shyly and glanced over at Ron quickly before taking another long sip from her mug. Ron just busied himself with his food and tried to look unaffected. He allowed his mind wander to the present he had for Hermione sitting upstairs in his room. He had had the worst trouble trying to find a present for her. How do you get something that could compare to the gift that Chris had gotten for her anyway? Of course, there was the traditional book or new quill, but Ron knew that that would never do. No, he had to find a gift that actually meant something. Finally, after almost giving up numerous times, he had found it. The perfect gift for her. No, it wasn't as flashy and expensive as what Chris had gotten her, but he hoped that she would love it all the same and that it would prove that Ron still knew more about Hermione than any other man could ever know, even if he was Christopher Rhiney.  
  
Now however, as Christmas came closer and closer, Ron couldn't help but worry that what he got for her just wasn't good enough. However, both Ginny and Harry had calmed his fears and reassured him that what he got for her was wonderful.  
  
A loud pounding noise brought everyone's attention to the doorway as Fred and George entered carrying various odd objects in their hands while wearing red Santa caps. They smiled cheerfully as they entered and set down their things before sitting down at the table themselves, instantly digging into the food before them.  
  
"And just what have you two been up to this morning?" Mrs. Weasley stood behind them with her hands on her hips and the two of them turned around slowly in their seats, looking up at their mother.  
  
"Nothing Mum," George said, smiling innocently.  
  
"Yeah, we just thought that we should stop by the shop before heading over today to grab some Christmas cheer!" Fred joined in, beaming up at his mother's stern face.  
  
"Nothing bad of course," George added quickly, "We promise."  
  
"Yeah, it's all innocent and safe. No one will be turning into anything or have anything sprouting from them either, we swear."  
  
Mrs. Weasley watched them intently for a moment and the room seemed to be quiet as everyone waited for a reaction. Finally, she sighed and smiled slightly, "All right. I believe you. But mark my words boys: If anyone so much as grows one hair too many on their head, it'll be you two who will be learning the real meaning of Christmas cheer."  
  
Ginny and Harry both snorted into their drinks and Hermione and Ron glanced at each other for a moment, both trying hard to disguise their laughter. Mrs. Weasley just turned back to the kitchen while the twins glimpsed at each other for a moment and then returned to eating their food.  
  
"I think I better go get ready for today. There's lots to do." Bill got up from the table and headed towards the staircase.  
  
"Wait, love. Do you know where I put Charlotte's stuffed bunny?" Laura, who was still feeding Charlotte, looked up at Bill questioningly.  
  
"You don't know where it is?" he groaned.  
  
"No, no, I think I do, but do you think you could get it?" Laura stood up and started to walk over towards Bill.  
  
"Where is it?" he asked as she approached him.  
  
"I believe I—"  
  
However the rest of her sentence was cut short by a screeching noise coming from above them. Everyone in the room instinctively covered their ears as they tried to figure out where the noise was coming from.  
  
"What is that?!?" Mr. Weasley stood up and looked around, trying to find out what was making that noise.  
  
Fred and George beamed proudly.  
  
"Like it?" asked Fred loudly. "It's a brand new product."  
  
"We call it 'Maddening Musical Mistletoe'," George added brightly.  
  
Ginny grimaced. "What the hell is musical about that thing? It sounds like a bloody dying cat!"  
  
"Language Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley scolded.  
  
"Just listen to it!" George urged. And as they all sat listening to the screeching, they could start to make out a high-pitched voice singing some medley of Christmas songs at the top of its lungs. "You see, whenever two people stand beneath it, it starts to sing!" As Charlotte began to cry in her high chair, Bill turned on the twins.  
  
"Well, how the bloody hell do you MAKE IT STOP?!?!" Bill asked angrily.  
  
"It won't stop 'til you two kiss!" Fred yelled back. "That's the whole point!"  
  
"Honestly! You two are the—"  
  
"Bill! Shut up and kiss me already!" With that, Laura grabbed Bill roughly around the collar of his shirt and pulled him into a kiss. Instantly, the singing stopped and everyone sighed in relief. Charlotte quieted down too and Laura walked over to her, picking her up. "I'll go and get the bunny, but you go upstairs first Bill. I don't want to have to worry about that damn thing going off again." She shot a dirty look over to the twins who smiled back cheekily.  
  
Ron just shook his head and smiled to himself as he continued to eat his breakfast. At least he knew that although it was crazy and sometimes frustrating as hell, he would never take being back home at the Burrow for granted.  
  
--------------  
  
The rest of the day was filled with people filtering in and out of the house. Preparations for the get together they were having that night took up the entire day and everyone found themselves trying to help somehow. Aside from the family, the Weasley's were expecting visits from many different Order members such as Lupin, Tonks, Mad Eye, and even an appearance by Kingsley, if he could find the time. Everyone pitched in and by the time the guests started arriving, things were busy, but spirits were high and everyone talked merrily as the night wore on.  
  
Laura, Ginny, Charlie's girlfriend Megan, and even Tonks had all cornered Hermione to ask her about Chris. They bombarded her with questions, to which she answered willingly, but as Ron watched on, he could only smile at their giddiness.  
  
"How did you two meet?" Laura asked.  
  
"I was an interpreter for him at a business meeting that he had with a foreign client. He had seen me at the ministry before, but we had never actually talked. Then after spending a day with me translating things for him, he says he was finally able to work up the courage to ask me out on a date."  
  
"Wow..." said Megan. "That's wonderful... Is he as gorgeous in real life as he is in his pictures?"  
  
There were giggles all around the group of women and Hermione spoke, looking thoughtful. "You know, I've never been one to care too much on things like looks. I mean, it's the person's personality and intelligence that really matter, not little things like how they look or how much money they make." The women looked slightly disappointed, to which Hermione smiled shyly, then added, "But you know, as much as it may not matter to me, I do appreciate how he looks in his swimming trunks. A lot."  
  
At this the women burst out in woops and applause, all laughing loudly while Hermione blushed slightly and laughed along with them.  
  
"Oh Hermione, you are so lucky! He must be amazing," said Megan.  
  
"And very... _tender_..." added Ginny.  
  
"Ginny!" Hermione said scandalized, her face turning a dark pink.  
  
Ginny put her hands on her hips and looked at Hermione suspiciously. "Oh come on Hermione! You live with him! Do you really think that we believe you haven't, well... been together yet?"  
  
"No!" She looked at the women standing around her who were all staring at her with looks of disbelief mingled with amusement. She straightened up primly and addressed them, very dignified. "I know you all think that my moving in with him is a really big deal and that we are a very romantic, fairy tale, fantasy... whatever. But, let me assure you, I am not sleeping with Christopher, nor do I think I will be anytime soon. And he knows, and accepts that."  
  
"Well, why the bloody hell not!" Tonks exclaimed. "Merlin, I would shag him in a minute if I could! I mean, honestly Hermione, you already said that he loves you, so it's not as if he would just sleep with you and then leave, but even if that were the case, then bloody hell, do it anyway! At least then you can have a little fun!"  
  
Hermione's face was as red as a beet. Finally, Laura stepped up to her defense. "I think that it's a good thing that Hermione wants to wait. Sex only ruins relationships, at least when the two people truly aren't ready for it yet. I say good on you, Hermione, for wanting to wait until you feel that you have been with him long enough, and take your time too. Because once you've done it, there's no going back." Hermione smiled gratefully and Laura patted her shoulder sympathetically.  
  
"Well, I have to agree with Tonks. I would shag him." Megan said.  
  
"Hey! What about my brother?" Ginny said defensively, however she smiled playfully as she said this.  
  
"Oh come off it, you know you would too!"  
  
"Could we PLEASE stop talking about all of you wanting to shag my boyfriend and perhaps move on to another topic?!" Hermione yelled above all of the voices and the women turned to face her, their expressions slightly embarrassed. She took a deep breath, then continued on, her voice calm.  
  
"I agree with all of you. Chris is an amazing man. He's wonderful. And yes, he is very, very attractive," she shot an amused glance over to Tonks and Megan. "But I don't want to 'shag' him anytime soon. Maybe it sounds mad, but I just don't feel that we are ready for that in our relationship just yet. Yes, he may love me and won't leave me afterwards, but that's not all of it. There's so much more. I don't want my first time with Chris to just be a 'shag'. I want it to be beautiful and romantic and meaningful and I want it to be...well... I don't know exactly. I just... Look. I made the mistake of letting my emotions get the best of me once and now that I'm in that place again, I just want to take it slow. Chris understands and he loves me even more for it. We're happy and that's all that matters. And you know what? When the time comes, it'll be perfect and full of love as well as lust and neither of us will regret waiting one bit."  
  
The women standing around Hermione were quiet. Hermione looked embarrassed but Megan smiled and spoke first.  
  
"You know what Hermione? We need more women like you." The other women nodded in agreement.  
  
"Yeah, that was beautiful." Tonks nodded. "But you know what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Now I'm really jealous that you have a man like Chris, Hermione. I mean, he must really love you if he's willing to wait."  
  
Hermione flushed as the women murmured their agreement. She looked out across the room and her eyes met with Ron's. He smiled to her and she smiled back. Ginny, who had noticed Hermione's distant look, followed her gaze and looked to her brother who was standing talking to Harry, her dad and Kingsley. Ron and Hermione were staring at one another, obviously unaware of anyone else noticing them and Ginny's eyes widened slightly as realization dawned on her. However, as she looked back to Hermione, she noticed that she had walked away from the group who had now started a discussion on their own experiences with men and relationships. She scanned the room for a head of bushy hair, but couldn't find any and with a final shrug, turned back to the women.  
  
Ron however had noticed where Hermione had gone off to. He watched as her smile had faded from her face as she looked back at him, and then with another, smaller and sadder smile, she walked away from the large group of women she had been with and up the stairs of the Burrow. Ron made to follow her but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.  
  
"Ron, are you listening?" Mr. Weasley asked his youngest son.  
  
"Erm... yes...?"  
  
Mr. Weasley sighed. "We were talking about Christopher Rhiney's New Year's Eve Party. Kingsley asked how many Aurors you thought should attend?"  
  
"Aurors?" Ron asked, confused.  
  
"Since it's going to be such a large party, I couldn't very well ask just for you and Tony to try and watch over the whole thing." Kingsley explained. "So, do you have any idea as to how many you think you'll need? I know it's the holidays but the sooner I know the better."  
  
"Erm... well, it depends on how many people Christopher invites. However, I'd probably say somewhere around twenty five to be safe, but I'll write to Tony as well and see what he thinks."  
  
"Well I already know I want both you and Sean there, Harry. If there's ever a time where the I.W.P. would try to strike, it's then."  
  
"How is the investigation going?" Mr. Weasley asked.  
  
"Slowly," Harry said glumly. "There's so much to look into that it's difficult to try and follow all the leads we get."  
  
"Which reminds me, Harry," Ron turned to him. "Did you ever get the chance to look into the fire over at Hermione's apartment? I was asking her about it, and the more I found out, the more suspicious it sounded. I know that there can't be a lot gained from it still but I have a feeling that the I.W.P. was involved somehow."  
  
"Damn, I completely forgot. But I swear I'll work on it."  
  
"There was a fire in Hermione's apartment?" Mr. Weasley asked alarmed  
  
"Apparently, a few weeks prior to her moving in with Mr. Rhiney, her apartment caught fire while she was inside. Thankfully, no one was hurt but it was extremely suspicious." Kingsley said.  
  
"You think the I.W.P. had something to do with it?"  
  
Harry smirked slightly. "Well, there is the chance that it was just a mob of angry, jealous women..."  
  
"But that's extreme, even for the really mad ones," Ron finished.  
  
"I certainly hope you four haven't separated yourselves from the rest of the party in order to talk about work." Mrs. Weasley walked up beside her husband, her hands on her hips, as she looked at the men standing in the group with her eyebrows raised.  
  
Kingsley smiled warmly. "Wouldn't ever dream of it Molly."  
  
She smiled and they started up a conversation amongst themselves. However, Ron wasn't paying any attention to them as he turned back to the room and scanned it. Then he looked to the stairs where he had seen Hermione disappear previously and felt himself heading towards it. Curious, he walked up the stairs in order to look for her. As he reached Ginny's room, he peeked in to look and see if she was there but was met with just an empty room. He continued to search the rooms, checking each one as he got to it, and almost decided to give up as he reached his own, thinking maybe that he had just missed her when he was searching the living room before. He knew that his niece was sleeping up in his room, being that it was the farthest from all the noise, and didn't think that Hermione would have gone in there, but decided to check in on Charlotte to see if she was all right.  
  
As the door creaked open, he saw the moonlight that was spilling onto the comforter of his bed. He pushed the door open some more and his eyes went wide as he watched what was in front of him. Hermione was sitting on his bed, her hair and face glowing in the light, smiling as she cooed softly to the small, and very much awake baby that lay in her arms. Charlotte had a lock of Hermione's curly hair wrapped up in her hand and she gurgled lightly as Hermione talked back to her. Ron stood watching the scene for a moment, unsure of what to do, but unable to bring himself to break the moment. Hermione smiled tenderly at the baby and held her gently. Ron felt a tug at his heart and smiled sadly. There was the woman he had always loved holding a baby in her arms so warmly. How many times had he dreamt of the day that she would hold his own child in her arms, speaking softly to it and smiling with the joy of a new mother?  
  
Hermione glanced up and saw Ron standing in the doorway. She smiled at him and motioned for him to come and sit by her. He walked over and sat next to her on bed, his leg just touching hers, sending chills coursing up and down his spine.  
  
"I came up here just to escape the party for a bit but then I heard Charlotte so I came to check on her."  
  
Ron nodded and looked down into his niece's face. She really was beautiful. Her eyes were a dark brown and her hair, or what little she had of it, was a fiery red; definitely a Weasley trademark.  
  
"What are you doing up here?" Hermione asked him.  
  
Ron stuttered slightly. "Er... well, I saw you come up and I just was wondering what you were up to. I mean, I saw who you were with before, so I guess I just had to check your sanity after that."  
  
They both laughed lightly and Charlotte gurgled again, this time nestling her head up against the crook of Hermione's arm and giving a deep, long yawn. "Oh good," said Hermione. "She's been so awake this whole time that I was worried I would have trouble trying to put her down again."  
  
"Erm, can I?" Ron asked. Hermione looked at him curiously but her lips curled into a bright smile as she carefully handed Charlotte off to Ron. Ron, who had always been good with children, held her close to his chest, resting her head on his shoulder and holding her underneath her bottom. Then, walking over to the little crib on the side of his bed, gently placed her into it. She stirred slightly but then curled up with her blanket as her breathing came to a slow, steady pattern. Ron turned back to Hermione who was watching him with an odd expression on her face.  
  
"What?"  
  
She shook her head and smiled, glancing down at her feet before bringing her face back up to his again. "Nothing. You're just... well, you're a wonderful uncle, Ron."  
  
Ron could feel the tips of his ears go red and he shrugged. "I just have a knack for taking care of children I suppose."  
  
She just smiled at him and looked down at her hands again. That's when he remembered.  
  
_'Her gift.'_  
  
"Hey, Hermione? Erm, I know that it's a bit early and all, but since we're up here..." he went to his bedside table and grabbed the small box sitting on top of it, "I thought I could give this to you now rather than in front of everyone later." She was still sitting on the edge of the bed and as he handed her the box, he sat on his hind legs in front of her, watching as she eyed the box hesitantly.  
  
She looked back up at him, one of her eyebrows raised suspiciously. "What is it?"  
  
He smiled. "Open it." Ron tried to stay calm and collected, but on the inside he was bursting from anticipation. _'Will she like it? She has to like it. Oh **Lord**, let her like it...'  
_  
Slowly, she untied the red ribbon that sat on top of the lid and placed it neatly beside her. Then very carefully, she took the lid off and peered into the box. Ron felt slightly dizzy and found that he couldn't look away from Hermione's face as he tried desperately to discern the emotions that were passing through her at the time. She sat looking at the box for what seemed like an eternity and Ron could feel his spirits come crashing down.  
  
Inside the box sat a small, golden heart locket on a thin, gold chain. It was dainty and elegant, with a small engraving of the Gryffindor lion on the front. When it opened, on the inside was a small picture of Harry, Ron, and Hermione all standing and laughing together after graduation; Hermione's favorite picture and the same one that she had sitting on the mantle in her bedroom at Rhiney Manor. The locket glittered and glistened in the moonlight that issued in from the window but Ron could feel his heart clench as realization kicked in.  
  
_'She hates it. She absolutely hates it...'_  
  
She looked back up at him. "Oh, Ron..." she said quietly.  
  
_'Yep, she hates it. Good show there Weasley. Now you really look like a prat.'_  
  
"You...you don't like it, do you?" he asked hesitantly, unable to form the words. His palms were clammy and his face burned from humiliation. He couldn't stand to even look at Hermione any more but she still sat quietly, staring intently into the box.  
  
But as he said this, her head shot up and she looked straight at him curiously. "Don't like it? You think I don't like it?"  
  
Ron nodded sheepishly and shrugged. "It's all right Hermione, you don't have to pretend. I understand, it was a stupid gift." He went to grab for the box but she stopped him abruptly.  
  
"No!" she said loudly, jerking the box away from him. "Of course I like it! Ron... it's beautiful. It's really, really beautiful." She smiled sincerely and Ron could feel his mood lighten.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes! Ron, this is perfect! I just can't believe you would know what to get me. I mean, this really is a wonderful gift Ron. There's just... more to it, you know what I mean? Would you?" She handed him the necklace which he took from her hands and put around her neck.  
  
He smiled proudly. "What can I say? I figured you had every book there is and since I also knew that that was all you would be getting tomorrow, a change in gift seemed like a it would good idea, wouldn't it? Anyway, this just proves that I know you better than anyone ever could, even if it is some rich, good looking prat that can buy you anything in the world."  
  
As soon as the words had escaped his mouth, Ron could feel himself blanch and then immediately flush afterwards. Hermione stared at him, a shocked expression on her face. He groaned and covered his face with his hands.  
  
_'I can't believe I just said that! Merlin, what's wrong with me? And to think, she really liked the gift too.'_  
  
Hermione was quiet and stared down at her hands where the box and the locket still sat. Ron, whose whole body seemed to envy that of a ripe tomato, refused to bring his face up to look at Hermione. However as he sat there, mentally kicking himself for having said something so stupid, he felt her hand come to his and bring them down from his face.  
  
"Look at me Ron," she said quietly. Reluctantly, Ron looked guiltily up at Hermione, feeling very small and childish as he did so.  
  
"You're right."  
  
"Look, I'm sor—what?" Ron stared at her, confused.  
  
She said it again, her voice unwavering as she looked straight into his crystal blue eyes. "You're right Ron." Ron stared at her, unsure of how to react. Was she serious?  
  
"Hermione..." he started tentatively.  
  
"No. You are the only man who will ever know who I truly am." Ron watched her face intently, uncertain that she was actually saying what he thought she was, and acutely aware of the small sparks going off as they still held hands.  
  
"You know, I tried to...well, to be honest, I tried to replace you. I was so angry and hurt and I thought for a long time that you'd lied. That you were just being heroic and that one day I would open the door to my flat and there you would be; standing outside, confessing your undying love for me. That thought, that dream, kept me going for a while. It kept me from breaking down. But then, time went by and I realized you weren't going to come back. I talked to Harry but he never talked about you except to tell me how you were and how training was going. Ginny was the same. But then I got angry. I was furious. With you, with myself, with everything. I tried to distance myself from everything and anyone that reminded me of you. I started throwing myself into my work with a vengeance. That's how I got to be where I am in the Ministry so fast. But it didn't help really. I mean, I would still go home and I was still all alone.  
  
"But then, I found Chris and... I don't know. He just made me feel... whole again. I was really reluctant to even go out with at first but he was so persistent and sweet. So I agreed to go out with him and we took things slow. He treated me wonderfully. He still does. And he showed me what it was like to be loved again."  
  
Ron took a deep breath and spoke quietly. "Do you... do you love him?"  
  
Hermione was quiet a moment, her face unreadable. Finally she spoke slowly, her voice low and soft. She looked down, unable to look him in the eyes any longer. "I love things about him. I love the way he holds me. I love the way he says my name like it's some sort of precious jewel. I love the way he looks at me from across a crowded room. I love the way he tells me that he's never felt this way before about anyone. I love the way he's so powerful yet so vulnerable too. I love that he loves everything about me, especially my faults." She broke off and looked pensively out the window.  
  
Ron felt horrible. Here she was, practically announcing to Ron that yes, she did love Christopher Rhiney, and that yes, she had moved on. He tried hard to fight the tightness that was forming in his throat and blinked rapidly. His chest hurt as he breathed in and all he wanted to do was get away. Maybe even go for a fly. Bugger the snow. He just couldn't be here in this house with all these people, especially her.  
  
He cleared his throat and looked up at Hermione with what he hoped was a blasé expression on his face. "So you do love him?"  
  
She was quiet again, then she finally looked back to Ron. She had a small, sad smile on her face. "I know he loves me. And I want to love him back. Who knows, maybe I do love him. But..." she paused for a minute, concentrating on her thoughts. Then, slowly, Ron felt her hand leave his as she brought it up to his cheek. The contact made Ron shiver unintentionally and he had to fight hard to stop himself from just reaching up and kissing her right there.  
  
"But what?" he said huskily. _'Merlin, her hands are soft...'_  
  
Hermione took a deep breath in. "But he's not... you..."  
  
Ron stared up into Hermione's deep, brown eyes and couldn't hold back any longer. He had to do something. He had to tell her how he felt and what she meant to him. But God, if he didn't kiss her now, he was going to go mad...  
  
"Hermione..." he whispered softly.  
  
And without any hesitation, he brought his hand up to the back of her neck and started to lower her head down to his. When she didn't back away, Ron then started to inch his lips closer and closer to hers. He licked them nervously and he watched as her eyes started to flutter shut. Their foreheads touched and he could feel her warm breath on his cheek sending his mind into a current of thoughts and emotions, none of which he could decipher. She smelled sweet and all Ron wanted to do was get more of that scent, more of her. Finally, he closed his eyes and could feel her nose brush against his slightly as they turned their heads and...  
  
The muffled sounds of a crying baby brought Ron and Hermione crashing back to reality. Her head jerked back violently, causing Ron to let go of the back of her neck. They didn't look at each other and neither said a word. Eventually, Ron got up and headed over to the crib where Charlotte lay, tossing and turning uncomfortably. Ron reached in and rubbed her back soothingly, speaking to her softly as he did so. Her muffled cries began to soften, and then she resumed her soft, steady breathing pattern once again. Once she had been quiet for a bit, Ron turned around to see that Hermione had gotten up from the bed and stood nervously, staring down at her hands. He ran his hand through his hair, unsure of what to do.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity of the most painfully awkward silence Ron had ever endured in his life, Hermione spoke.  
  
"Erm, we should probably go back downstairs. We don't want to wake the baby."  
  
"Yeah," Ron said lamely.  
  
"They must be wondering where we went off to..."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
She seemed to be waiting for him to say something, but when she realized that he wasn't going to say anymore, she continued on.  
  
"So, erm, shall we then?"  
  
Ron nodded and headed toward the door. He opened it and let Hermione out first, following her closely after. His mind was still reeling and he was grateful to be behind her so that she couldn't see the pained expression on his face as he replayed the scene from his bedroom over again in his mind.  
  
_'I've really messed things up this time, haven't I? How could I have done something so **stupid**?'_  
  
They continued down the stairs at a miserably slow pace, each of them unwilling to try and start up any conversation with the other. Ron could only wallow in his own self pity as he followed behind Hermione. She had practically told him that she did in fact love Christopher, and yet when he had tried to kiss her, she hadn't pulled away. Ron's head ached from it all. It was just so damn confusing! True, he hadn't actually told her how he felt about her, but wasn't it obvious by now? What did a bloke have to do to get his point across anyway?  
  
Rubbing his forehead, he hadn't even realized that the two of them had reached the living room. Hermione stood watching from the doorway as the all the different groups of people went about their own conversations, laughing and talking jovially, all apparently in the Christmas spirit. It seemed that no one had noticed either of their departures and Ron found himself comforted by it.  
  
_'The less attention we get from having spent a good while upstairs alone and then coming back down again together, the better.' _He started to walk up beside Hermione. _'As if it isn't already bad enough what with—'_  
  
Ron stopped right next to Hermione and felt his eyes grow wide. Despite the volume of the people in the room, the music that was now playing at a high pitched scream was obvious. Every head in the room seemed to turn to face Ron and Hermione who looked like two deer caught in the headlights. Ron slowly brought his gaze upward and saw the thing that was making the noise.  
  
"Oh shit..."  
  
Hermione glanced over at him, her eyes wide with shock, and then shot back out to the crowd again, all of whom were watching the two of them with amused expressions. Ron felt his face grow hot and noticed Fred and George looking at them hungrily.  
  
"Well, well, well! If it isn't out ickle Hermione and Ronniekins stuck under the mistletoe!" George said loudly. Ron could hear Hermione groan slightly and made a mental note to personally destroy any bits of that damned 'Maddening Musical Mistletoe' later.  
  
"Now ladies and gentlemen! As you all know, there is a tradition that started in the eighteenth century where a young woman standing under the mistletoe could not refuse to be kissed. Such a kiss could mean lasting friendship and goodwill or..." Fred raised his eyebrows suggestively, "deep romance."  
  
"And we at the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes company are not the kind to mess with tradition—"  
  
"In fact, we uphold it!"  
  
"So, we have invented what we like to call 'Maddening Musical Mistletoe'!"  
  
"With this product—"  
  
"Enough with the bloody product endorsements! Just tell us how to shut it off!" Tonks yelled angrily as she pressed her hands to her ears. Many heads around the room nodded emphatically and then turned expectantly to the twins.  
  
Fred and George looked over to Hermione and Ron, who still stood shocked under the mistletoe, neither one daring to look at the other.  
  
"A kiss," said George simply. "Just one kiss and it will stop."  
  
"Well then, bloody hell! Will you two stop gaping like fish and kiss already!?!"  
  
Now, all heads turned to face them and Ron gulped painfully. This was not what he had wanted. Alone in his room, (with the exception of Charlotte) was one thing, but here? In front of all these people? This was mad...  
  
Hermione turned to face him, trying hard to avoid his gaze. Her cheeks were bright pink and she looked extremely uncomfortable. Ron's anger flared. This was not how it should be. This wasn't fair to either of them! He wanted to kiss her, that much was obvious, but not like this.  
  
However, as the music grew obnoxiously louder, he knew that complaining about it wasn't going to do any good. And, knowing his brothers, the damn thing really wouldn't ever stop until they finally did kiss.  
  
He sighed deeply and looked apologetically to Hermione. "I'm really sorry about this..."  
  
She shook her head and looked up at him, a small smile playing across her lips. "Don't be." He stared back at her, shocked. He opened his mouth to speak but was shushed by her finger on his lips.  
  
She looked down momentarily and then smiled again, this time looking straight into his eyes. "Well, we might as well get it over with."  
  
Ron nodded numbly and took a step closer, acutely aware of every eye in the room on him at that moment. His palms were sweaty and his mouth was dry. Licking his lips nervously, he carefully brought his hand up to her waist. She seemed to tremble slightly at his touch but only looked back up at him, her brown eyes wide and glittering with anxiousness.  
  
_'It's now or never Weasley...'_  
  
And without further hesitation, Ron cupped her face with his right hand, tilting it slightly to the side and brought her lips up to his. Her eyes fluttered shut and Ron let his close too as they got closer. He no longer could hear the irritating music playing or the quiet sniggers from the crowd; his own heart was hammering too loudly in his own ears for him to hear anything else. Then finally, their lips touched and any thoughts that were running through his mind were immediately erased.  
  
Her lips were soft and tender as he gently pressed his against them. At the contact, Ron could feel a sharp, electric current jolt through him from their lips, almost causing him to jump back in alarm, but instead, he pressed harder, only wanting more of it; more of her. She sighed slightly into his mouth at the contact and Ron could feel his stomach flip violently. Without a second thought, Ron opened his mouth slightly along with hers and just barely brushed his tongue against hers. She was sweet like candy and Ron found he couldn't resist trying to taste more of her.  
  
His body was no longer under his control and despite all the other people there, he allowed himself to brush his tongue against hers again, this time lingering just a bit longer. She did not object. Instead, and much to Ron's surprise, she parted her lips even more and met his kisses with the same passion. Fireworks went off behind his eyelids as they deepened the kiss and he caressed her cheek lovingly. Hermione brought her hands up and around his neck, hugging him closer to her. Their kisses became more heated, the two of them releasing a passion that neither had felt for a while. All of their old emotions, their lust, their passion, their love for one another that had been denied for three years was released into this one, consuming kiss.  
  
They could have stood there kissing each other all night, however somewhat reluctantly, they pulled away, their eyes still closed and their foreheads resting against one another as they panted slightly. Their surroundings started to come back slowly and it was only after about thirty seconds that they realized that everyone was still watching them, however this time, with looks of shock plastered to their faces. The music had stopped and the room was quiet as no one moved or said a word.  
  
Ron's face immediately turned scarlet as he turned his head slightly to look out at the crowd. Only Harry and Ginny seemed to have their wits about them as they beamed over at Ron and Hermione. Ron could feel the heat radiating off of Hermione's face as well as she looked out on the crowded room.  
  
It was only when the applause started that anyone started to come back.  
  
It was a slow, single clap at first, which gradually built and then, as other people starting clapping along with it, got louder and louder until it reached the point where people were whooping and cheering. Hermione and Ron blushed even harder and backed sheepishly away from one another, only then realizing that they were still entwined.  
  
"It's about bloody time!!" shouted one of the twins teasingly. Ron couldn't help but smile at all the comments that were floating through the crowd as they smiled over at him and Hermione. However, as he looked over at Hermione, he noticed a look of realization on her face which was quickly followed by panic and then fear and before he could stop her, she had bolted out through the crowd.  
  
"Hermione!" Ron called after her, trying to follow after. "Hermione, wait!!" He pushed through the crowd roughly, trying to keep on eye on her as she rushed ahead of him. However, as people tried to stop him to talk and he was slowed down more and more by the massive crowds, he found that he had lost her quickly.  
  
--------------  
  
The cold hit Hermione with such ferocity as she walked out into the snowy night that she almost fell back. Immediately, she wrapped her arms around herself trying to warm up. Despite the cold, Hermione pushed on, finally coming up to the small swinging bench in the backyard and, after wiping it from all the snow and dirt, sat down.  
  
Being the meticulously organized person that she was, Hermione wasn't sure which she found more disturbing; the fact that she had just kissed Ron quite passionately in front of a room full of people (and enjoyed it too, at least the kissing part) or the fact that as a result of that kiss and the affects it had on her, her thoughts were now such a disorganized mess that she didn't even know where to start with what to feel or think. She groaned aloud and placed her head in her hands dejectedly, deciding that all she could deal with for now was being extremely confused with all aspects of her life.  
  
"Hermione?" A small voice called to her from across the yard. Hermione looked up hesitantly and sighed in relief to see Ginny standing across from her, a worried look on her face.  
  
"Hi Ginny," Hermione said in a false cheery voice.  
  
Ginny looked at her disbelievingly. "Don't try to pretend that you're all right. You can't fool me." She sat down on the bench next to Hermione and looked at her kindly. "Hermione, why did you run out?"  
  
"I..." she started, then stopped. She looked over at the pretty red head sitting beside her and for a moment was amazed. Could this really be the same little Ginny Weasley she knew from Hogwarts? Lord, had she changed. Her hair was long and a little wavy, falling gracefully down her back and her eyes were a bright, crystal blue, just like Ron's, and sparkled in the moonlight. She had obviously matured from the first time Hermione had met her, but sometimes it was hard to believe that this beautiful young woman before her now was once a nervous, bumbling young girl just starting school.  
  
"You what?" she pressed gently.  
  
"I just..." she started again, but this time, she continued exasperatedly. "/i, I'm just so confused! I have no idea what to do or feel or think and it's driving me mad! I hate feeling like this, like I have no control over myself at all and that I can't decide what to do! It's not fair! My life was fine and then your stupid prat of a brother had to show up and throw everything off course!"  
  
Ginny's eyes widened slightly and she tried hard not to smile. "So this /i have to do with my brother?"  
  
Hermione stopped and stared at Ginny. Flustered, she started to try and cover but Ginny just looked at her knowingly and smiled. "Hermione. What does your heart tell you?"  
  
Hermione looked at her like she was crazy. "What? What does my heart what?"  
  
"Your heart. What does it tell you?"  
  
"Ginny really, this is—"  
  
"Just humor me Hermione. Answer the question." Hermione opened her mouth to speak but found herself at a loss for words. Ginny seemed to notice this too and smiled. "Or do you not know what its saying?"  
  
Hermione gaped at Ginny for a moment. When did she get so smart when it came to matters of the heart? Wasn't it supposed to be Hermione who helped Ginny, like when they were at Hogwarts and Ginny had a crush on Harry?  
  
"Ginny, this is just really confusing for me. I mean, everything used to make sense, but now things have just gotten so... tangled. I can't think straight. My thoughts are so scattered that I don't seem able to pick them up and put the in order fast enough."  
  
Ginny looked at her thoughtfully, then spoke again. "Hermione, maybe you should stop trying to think so much and just let yourself feel instead. Not everything is logical and not all things make sense but that doesn't make them wrong."  
  
"I know! I, well...oh Merlin..." she said miserably.  
  
Ginny put a consoling hand on her shoulder. "Look, from what I've learned, love is not easy. It never is. But that's why it's so sweet because once you find it, you _really _find it, you savor it all the more. Just take things slow for now and see how you feel. There will eventually come a time when you'll have to choose between what you think you should do and what you want to do, but I think you'll make the right choice. You just have to remember to follow your heart; it won't lead you wrong."  
  
Hermione grinned at the younger girl. "Since when did you become such an expert on love?"  
  
Ginny smiled and then looked toward the house. "Let's just say that after many years of love and heartbreak, I think I may finally have found out a couple of things and now, I think I might have found something that will last."  
  
Hermione followed Ginny's gaze and saw two men walking out towards them. One was tall, with flaming red hair and blue eyes, while the other was slightly shorter with jet black hair that stuck out at odd angles and green eyes that seemed to glow as the two men looked at the girls. A feeling of realization swept through Hermione as she watched the small exchange between Ginny and Harry, but before she could press her for information, the two men had already reached them.  
  
"Hermione?" Ron asked apprehensively.  
  
"Hello Ron," Hermione said quietly. She was suddenly very embarrassed and found that she couldn't look him in the eye.  
  
"Ginny? You know, there was something I wanted to show you inside. Do you want to go see?" Harry held his hand out to Ginny.  
  
She smiled and took it gratefully. "Yeah. Let's go." And with that, the two of them walked back towards the house, leaving Ron and Hermione alone. Ron sat down next to her on the bench and the two of the sat silently, looking out at the snow covered yard.  
  
"I'm sorry...about earlier," Ron began.  
  
Hermione looked over at him. "It's not your fault that we got caught underneath that stupid plant."  
  
Ron was quiet a moment, then spoke again, his voice low and sad. "Then why did you run off?"  
  
Hermione turned to him and found him looking right at her. His eyes were clear and expectant, leaving Hermione feeling vulnerable under his gaze. "Ron, it wasn't your fault. I just... I couldn't stay there. I was, well, I was embarrassed."  
  
Ron nodded. "Yeah. Stupid Fred and George and their damn inventions," he spat. They sat quietly for a moment and finally, Ron spoke again, his voice hesitant. "So, then everything is all right between us? You're not angry?"  
  
"Of course not," she said kindly.  
  
Ron smiled. "Good. Why don't we head back inside then? It's freezing out here."  
  
Hermione smiled back at him and nodded. "Yeah, let's."  
  
They got up from the bench, wiping themselves off first. "Here," Ron said as he handed her his jacket.  
  
"Oh, you don't have to..."  
  
"Come on Hermione, you've been sitting out here for a while and you're shivering. This is the least I can do." Before she could protest again, he had wrapped it around her. He rubbed her arms through the fabric and Hermione felt instantly warmer. She gazed warmly up into his eyes and smiled. He gave her a lopsided grin back and she felt herself shiver again and blush.  
  
They finally walked back toward the house again where they found themselves arriving just in time to hear the high pitched song coming from the mistletoe again. This time however, a different couple found themselves standing underneath it, and as they smiled somewhat apologetically out to the crowd, they then turned back to each other and leaned in for a simple, yet passionate kiss. The crowd all watched as the two pulled apart slowly, their eyes still closed, and smiles on their lips, and as Hermione and Ron exchanged an amused look, all they could do was smile at the green-eyed man and his red haired companion.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------

Review now and J.K.R will write the sixth book that much faster...

Oh, and get used to reading ridiculously long chapters... I have a feeling that there are going to be many more of them to come...


	8. Happy New Year

**Chapter 8  
  
Happy New Year**

****   
  
_'God, were her lips soft...'  
  
'Stop thinking about that. You're supposed to helping Tony oversee the preparations for the party.'  
  
'Yeah, but still. I bet Mr. Christopher Rhiney has never kissed her like that before...'  
_  
"Ron! Would you pay attention!"  
  
Ron and Tony were standing in the middle of the backyard overseeing the teams of wizards working to set up for that nights' party. Ron looked around him, taking in the scenery. Already, they had gotten up huge, white tents that were magically heated along with many tables set up with beautiful flower arrangements sitting in the center of each. Hanging around the room were ornate lamps that were magically lit to stay burning all night and buffet style tables were placed on one side of the tents, while in the middle was a huge ballroom style dance floor where people could talk and dance happily. Chris had apparently hired only the best for his extravagant party, including the best chef in all of Europe, the most popular band, and even the best Aurors.  
  
_'All this because of some little fight...Bloody show off...'_  
  
"Ron, did you finish counting all the tables?"  
  
He nodded. "Erm, yes. There are forty two."  
  
Tony glanced down at a pad of paper in his hands. "All right then. The guests will start arriving in just about three hours. I need you to keep an eye out for the band and help them get through everything when they arrive."  
  
Ron nodded but Tony was no longer paying any attention to him as he walked away to yell orders to a group of Aurors who were trying to help set up the buffet tables. Ron ran a hand through his hair, sighing loudly.  
  
"Well, it's always nice to know that people actually take our work seriously, isn't it?"  
  
Ron turned around to see Harry standing behind him. He smiled and nodded his agreement. "Yeah. Now I know how Dobby felt. Well, except he was at least paid to work. This is supposed to be part of the 'undercover' work. Right, undercover my arse."  
  
Harry laughed. "So have you seen Hermione at all today?"  
  
"No, she went out with Mum, Mrs. Granger, Ginny, Tonks, Megan and Laura for a...what did they call it? Oh yeah, a 'women's day out' to prepare for the party."  
  
"It was really nice of Chris to let all of them come. I mean, he's never even met any of them before."  
  
"Yeah, well he had to, didn't he? I mean after all, this is Hermione's party. He's just trying to make up for being such a great, stupid toss—"  
  
"You sound a bit bitter Ron," Harry cut him off, a smile dancing across his lips.  
  
"Do you blame me?"  
  
Harry looked at his friend sympathetically. "No Ron. I can't say that I do." He pat him on the shoulder in a brotherly fashion and smiled. "So. Should we head upstairs to get ready? I mean, that is if you want to be able to get upstairs before the women get back."  
  
Ron chuckled. "I'll be up in a bit. I have to wait for the band first and get them all set up. But you head up to my room and get dressed. I won't be too long."  
  
As Harry turned to leave, a loud commotion could be heard from inside the house. The two men looked inside to see a large group of women walking inside, chatting and laughing animatedly, making their way to the stairs.  
  
Harry just shook his head. "Well, so much for sneaking up there before they got back."  
  
Ron laughed. "Good luck mate. You're gonna need it."  
  
Harry smacked him playfully on the arm then turned back to the house. Ron looked back out at the yard as the dozens of Aurors, caterers, servants and the sort walked around hurriedly, trying to set everything up. Out of the corner of his eye, Ron noticed a large group of well dressed witches and wizards walking into the backyard all carrying different instruments.  
  
_'This is going to be an interesting night...'_  
  
-------------  
  
Ron stood at the punch table watching with Harry as the guests started to filter in. Many of them looked like Ministry workers, almost all of whom he didn't recognize. His whole family had come of course by the request of Hermione, as well as many old Hogwarts students. He had already seen Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood together (were they together now?) as well the Patil sisters, Seamus Finnigan, Lavender Brown, Lee Jordan who had come with the twins and his date Angelina Johnson. Ron had even seen Oliver Wood walk in with his long time girlfriend Kristen Marone, a fellow Quidditch player, and a damn good one at that.  
  
He grabbed a cup of the punch and sipped it coolly. His hair was soft and, after some help from Ginny, fixed just so that it looked, "gently windswept and mildly messed up for that perfect sexy man look," as she had put it. Ron had laughed at her description of his hair but he had to admit that it did look good. He also wore his best dress robes which were a dark blue and made his eyes stand out and look like a deep, brilliant blue.  
  
Harry walked up to him wearing his dark green dress robes and smiled roguishly causing Ron to snort into his cup.  
  
"Any sign of the happy couple yet?" Harry asked as he came up beside Ron and grabbed a cup of punch himself.  
  
"No. I haven't seen either of them tonight."  
  
"Odd," Harry said casually. "You would think that the host and hostess would want to be here on time, being that it is their own party."  
  
"Hermione's probably all ready but she's stuck waiting for ickle Chris to finish primping." Ron said sardonically.  
  
A new voice joined in on the conversation behind the two men. "I don't understand why you are so mean to Chris when all he ever did was love Hermione. It's your own fault that you pushed her away." The both of them turned around to see Ginny standing there. She had beautiful golden dress robes on that hugged her body, flattering her every curve, while her auburn hair fell around her face in soft, loose curls. Ron felt Harry straighten up next to him and glanced at him for a moment before turning back to his little sister as she stood watching him with her hands on her hips.  
  
"Nice to see you too, Gin."  
  
"You look really beautiful Ginny." Harry smiled and she blushed slightly.  
  
"Thanks Harry."  
  
"So where's the rest of the family Gin?" Ron asked.  
  
"Lets see. Mum and Dad are off talking to some important Ministry officials, the twins are with Lee and Angelina (she came as Lee's date), Charlie and Megan are dancing, Percy and Penelope were walking through the rose garden, Bill and Laura are sitting at a table and I'm here talking to you two."  
  
"This looks like it's going to be a big party," Harry said as he gazed around at the different guests.  
  
"Yeah," said Ron. "Apparently Chris and Hermione invited a bunch of different business associates and Ministry people. Speaking of which, where is Hermione? Have you seen her Ginny?"  
  
"Last time I saw her, she and Chris were inside, but they said they would be out in a moment."  
  
As if on cue, the back doors to the house swung open and revealed Chris and Hermione. They had their arms linked as they walked gracefully outside together and smiled to the crowd. But it was at the sight of Hermione that caused Ron to suck in his breath roughly.  
  
She stood with Chris, beaming beautifully out at all the guests. Her hair was in tight ringlets with some of them being back by a pretty gold beret while the rest fell gracefully onto her shoulders. She wore a little makeup and the necklace that Ron had given her for Christmas along with a pair of pretty diamond studs. Her robes were a deep wine color that sparkled brilliantly in the light, with the sleeves coming off of her shoulders and the dress trailing out behind her slightly.  
  
"Wow. Hermione looks amazing," Harry said in awe as he watched his friend walk down the steps and into the tent.  
  
Ginny beamed proudly. "I told her to get those robes. They really make her look gorgeous don't they?"  
  
Ron wasn't listening to her though. In fact, he could hardly hear anything anymore. All the people, the tables, the music, everything around him had become nothing but a big blur and all that Ron could make out was the unbelievable woman in front of him. He was so enraptured by her that he hadn't even noticed that Chris had started speaking.  
  
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen!" Chris said loudly to the guests before him. The music stopped playing and the crowd turned their attention towards the young man standing before them. Chris was looking very smart in elegant black dress robes and with his hair slicked back. He smiled brightly out at the guests once again. "On behalf of Hermione and myself, I would like to welcome you all to our home!" There was the sound of applause at this, while Ron just snorted and rolled his eyes.  
  
"Tonight is a night where we all start a new year. But along with starting a new year, we are also starting a new chapter in each of our lives. With this new beginning, we can learn from our mistakes of the past and move on, growing as we do so. And I hope that you all will take this new chance, this new beginning and choose not waste it, but rather embrace it. I know I will." He looked over at Hermione who smiled warmly back at him. "But now, it is 7:00, which is five hours until midnight, and I know you all must be starving. So please, and for a lack of better words, I'm going to ask you all to sit down and dig in!"  
  
Many laughs along with applause greeted the end of his speech and Hermione kissed him gently on the lips, beaming proudly at him. The party commenced as the buffet tables were piled high with food and people started walking over. Ron grimaced at the sight of Hermione kissing Chris but at the loud protests coming from his stomach, he knew that eating was something he couldn't avoid. He sighed. _'I guess trying to talk to Hermione will just have to wait...'_  
  
Harry, Ginny, and Ron all started making their way over to the tables but as they were walking, Ron felt a slight tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Ginny looking up at him kindly. "You've still got her heart, Ron. I know it. You can see it in her eyes when she looks at you."  
  
Ron shook his head and smiled sadly. "Sometimes I think that it's really just the other way around."  
  
"So what, you're just going to give up?" she asked sternly.  
  
"NO! No, I can't. I don't think I ever could. I just...I..."  
  
"Love her."  
  
Ron opened his mouth to protest but it died on his tongue. He just smiled and put an arm around her shoulder. "You know me too well, Ginny."  
  
She smiled back up at him. "Hey, what are little sisters for?"  
  
-------------  
  
It was already ten o'clock and Hermione still had yet to speak to any of her friends. Of course, dinner had been a long and drawn out affair; Chris had made sure that it had included all of Hermione's favorite foods as well as the most extravagant and luxurious courses. But now, as she stood by Chris' side as he talked to different men and women about business and such, Hermione couldn't help but feel her mind wandering. She had been introduced to so many different people and been asked about her profession, as well as how she and Chris had met, how long they had to been together and things like it so many times, that she found herself urging the clock to go faster so that it would just strike midnight and she could get to bed.  
  
"Erm...Love?"  
  
Hermione shook her head distractedly and looked up at Chris. "What?"  
  
"I was just telling Mrs. Anderson about how you are a translator for the Ministry."  
  
"Oh... oh yes! Yes, I am."  
  
"How very interesting! What exactly do you do?" The older woman asked grandly, her gestures large and elaborate.  
  
"Oh, well I'm a translator for the Department of International Magical Cooperation, specifically the International Magical Trading Standards body, but I basically work on whatever and with whomever they ask me to."  
  
"Hermione is the youngest and most versatile translator that the Ministry has ever had before!" Chris said proudly.  
  
"So how many languages to you speak dear?"  
  
Hermione tried had not to sigh. _'Here we go again...'  
_  
"Ten. However, I'm working on Troll and Giant at the moment. They aren't exactly a joy but you never know when they might come in handy. Plus, it is frightfully interesting learning about all the different dialects and how they all came about."  
  
"Which languages do you speak?"  
  
"Goodness, let's see." She began counting off on her fingers. "There's English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, Swedish, Romanian and Bulgarian."  
  
"My, my!" Mrs. Anderson exclaimed. "That is quite impressive, especially for someone who only just turned twenty two."  
  
Chris beamed as he hugged Hermione close to his side. "Hermione's brilliant. She's the smartest, cleverest witch you will ever meet."  
  
"Hermione!!"  
  
Hermione turned her head in the direction from which the voice was coming and grinned broadly as a pretty red-head in gold robes came over looking extremely relieved.  
  
"Hey Ginny!"  
  
"Hermione, I've been looking all over for you all night!"  
  
Hermione laughed. "Well, I'm glad you found me. You look beautiful."  
  
"Thanks. So do you, but I knew you would," she replied smiling.  
  
"So what's up?"  
  
"Well, I was hoping I could steal you away for a bit. That is, if you are available..." Ginny nodded over towards Chris who was now talking with Mrs. Anderson.  
  
"Oh!" Hermione gently nudged Chris and he turned around to face the two women. "Chris, I want you to meet my very good friend Ginny. Ginny, this is Chris."  
  
Chris smiled warmly and shook Ginny's hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Ginny."  
  
Ginny grinned back at him. "Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you too."  
  
"Love?" Hermione asked, "Do you mind if I run off with Ginny for now? It's just that I have been talking with so many Ministry officials tonight that I think I may be in dire need of some girl talk."  
  
Chris laughed. "Am I that boring?" Hermione began to protest but Chris stopped her with a finger to her lips. "Don't worry. I know how tedious it can be talking to stuffy, old Ministry people all night. Go ahead and spend some time with your friends. I need to find your mum and dad anyway."  
  
Hermione looked at him curiously. "Why do you need to find them?"  
  
Chris just smiled. "No reason. I just thought it would be nice to talk to them. Our last meeting wasn't _exactly_ ideal. I mean, it was right after the fire and the first thing I ever said to them was that you were coming to live with me, no ifs, ands, or buts about it."  
  
"I still remember the look on my father's face," Hermione giggled.  
  
Chris grimaced slightly. "Yeah, so do I. Anyway, so I'll see you in a bit I suppose. Just promise to meet me at the stairs leading out here from the house at five 'til midnight?"  
  
"I promise."  
  
He kissed her quickly on the lips. "All right then. You two have fun." And with a smile, Chris turned and started to walk away. However, just as Hermione was about to turn to Ginny, he called out her name. She looked back at him curiously as he stood watching her from the middle of the dance floor. There was an odd, thoughtful look on his face as he watched her and Hermione could feel herself start to giggle uncomfortably under his gaze.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
He shook his head and just smiled. "Nothing." He was quiet a moment then smiled even brighter. "I love you Hermione."  
  
He looked at her for a moment more then turned away again and headed off to look for Hermione's parents once more. Hermione could feel the blush rise up in her cheeks and smiled to herself as she turned around to face Ginny. Ginny, who had watched their exchange in an amused silence, smiled cheekily at her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, nothing," Ginny said loftily. "Now come on! I haven't seen you all night and everyone's been waiting to see you."  
  
Ginny led Hermione away from the spot where they had talked to Chris and over to a few of the tables that surrounded the dance floor. They were ornately set with beautiful, blue table cloths that shimmered from the light. The flowers that sat in the middle were bright and fragrant and sat proudly in the middle of the tables. As Hermione got closer, she saw many of her friends sitting there talking and smiled broadly at them.  
  
Seamus looked up and saw the two women approaching first. "Well, well! Look who finally decided to grace us with her presence!"  
  
The other heads at the table turned to face her and instantly there was a burst of noise as they all tried to talk to her at once. The Patil sisters and Lavender all got up to give her a warm hug and Hermione smiled widely.  
  
"I'm sorry I haven't gotten to see you all earlier. I just got stuck talking to all these different Ministry officials and business partners of Chris's. He sort of likes to show me off to his colleagues."  
  
"Can you blame him? You look absolutely beautiful Hermione," Neville said kindly.  
  
Hermione blushed slightly then sat down at the table. They all started talking animatedly about different things, catching up on what had been happening in their lives recently. It felt good to Hermione to see how well they were all doing, especially after all that had happened and all that they had been through. Growing up in the time of the Second War had been difficult and frightening; there were many times when any one of them could have been hurt or killed. Yet, in the end, they had all survived and moved on with their lives and seeing proof of this very thing just made Hermione beam from the inside out.  
  
They sat talking for a while and finally the clocks showed 11:30. There was a growing feeling of excitement in the air now as the final countdown was nearing. Hermione looked around the tent curiously. She still had yet to see Ron. Didn't he want to talk to her? Where was he? Was he ignoring her?  
  
No, no, he wouldn't just be ignoring her for no reason. She hadn't done anything wrong... had she?  
  
She leaned over to Ginny. "Um, you know what? I think I'm going to go take a walk in the rose garden for a bit. Just all this party energy is starting to wear thin on me."  
  
Ginny looked at her worriedly. "Are you all right? Do you want me to come with you?"  
  
Hermione smiled at her friend's kindness and shook her head. "No, it's all right. I'm fine. I just want some fresh air, that's all. I'll be back."  
  
She got up and fought her way through the crowds, finally making it to the other side and the entrance to the rose gardens. Earlier, people had been walking through it and looking at all the beautiful and exotic flowers as they sat on one of the benches by the ornate fountain. However, now with it being so close to midnight and also the fact that it was getting colder and colder, Hermione found herself quite alone as she sat on the edge of one of the benches.  
  
The scene before her was right out of a photograph. A clear, midnight blue sky, devoid of any clouds, shone above her with all the different stars twinkling majestically. The trees and bushes as well as the ground were all covered by a thin layer of fresh, white snow that gleamed in the moonlight. The air was fresh and crisp and as Hermione looked up at the stars, she felt herself shiver slightly at the cold. _'Now I see why everyone else moved inside.'_  
  
She rubbed her arms quickly as she tried to warm herself up but found herself fighting a losing battle. Her dress, though beautiful and elegant as it was, was not made for this type of cold weather. She sighed to herself as she resigned to the fact that she would probably have to move back inside again, but she found that she really didn't want to go back in. Hermione liked the quiet and peaceful feeling of being out there all by herself. It gave her time to think and reflect back on things that had been troubling her.  
  
There were the obvious things like the fact that someone was trying to kill her boyfriend for reasons still unknown to anyone. Living under the constant threat of death was an all too familiar pattern for Hermione and she could feel herself boil with rage at the unfairness of it all. Couldn't she just have a normal life now? Hadn't she already lived through this before? Why did these things always have to happen to the ones she loved?  
  
Hermione sighed. _'It's not about me though. This is about Chris. He needs my help and I'm not doing him any favors by sitting here feeling sorry for myself.'  
_  
So that only left her with the other blatantly obvious problem...  
  
_'Oh Lord...'_ she thought miserably to herself as she buried her head in her hands. As if life weren't difficult enough, she found herself thoroughly torn between two completely different people.  
  
_'Let's see. All I have to do is just think about this rationally and, erm, make up a list! Yes, that's perfect! A list. I'll just organize my thoughts and that way I can see how I feel about the both of them.'_ She smiled proudly to herself then started mentally comparing the two.  
  
Christopher.  
  
Well, he was smart; very smart. And hard working. In fact, she was almost sure that she had really never met another person with so much determination and good work effort before in her life. He was extremely devoted, caring, kind, sweet, passionate about many different things, strong, warm, focused, and not to mention that he was absolutely bloody gorgeous. And even more than that he was in love with her. Really in love with her. He didn't just say it and then act like he didn't mean it. No, he showered her with affection and love everyday and appreciated her for who she really was. He was supportive, and grounded, not letting his high social position get to his head, patient, giving, and honest. No wonder so many women wanted him and why so many men wanted to be him. Chris was practically perfect.  
  
But, then again, he really wasn't.  
  
He was always busy, whether he was out at a meeting, on a business trip, or locked up in his study pouring over figures. He always apologized when he couldn't spend time with her and would find ways to make it up to her, whether it was with flowers or some small gift. But still, Hermione couldn't help but feel lonely sometimes. She missed not getting to spend time with him. But, then again, it wasn't like she blamed him. His job was extremely demanding and Chris just wanted to make sure that things were being done right. Hadn't that always been a trait of Hermione's?  
  
She sighed and shook her head. _'Merlin, even his faults make him a better man.' _Well, then. Now on to person number two...  
  
Ron.  
  
_'Well,'_ she thought to herself, _'this should be easy at least. Let's start with the cons first this time.'_  
  
Well, he was loud, rude, annoying, lazy, argumentative, bossy, stubborn, and not to mention he had a mean temper.  
  
_'But...even so, he's changed...I don't know what it is, but he's not like that anymore. Well, he is, but he's grown up. He's smarter now and much more mature...'_  
  
Yes, he could be loud but it was only when he was trying to either talk over one of the other members of his family. Yes, he could be rude, but only to people who were rude to him. He would never be awful to someone without some sort of cause for it. He could be annoying but then again, he would do it to get a rise out of people, not because he was always like that. He was lazy, but only about things that he didn't enjoy, like homework, and he had obviously shown that he was hard working and determined like Chris; there was a reason why he and Harry had come out at the top of their class from their Auror training. He was sometimes argumentative but only when he felt so passionately about something that he would get all riled up and defend it until he was blue in the face and then some. He was bossy, but not in a mean, overbearing manner. When it came to bossing people around, it had more to do with trying to keep them safe than with being the one in charge. And as for his temper, well, as mean as it was, he never liked to fight dirty. He was honest about how he felt and usually only got to that height of anger when he had been provoked; whether it had been by someone else hurting or degrading someone he loved or if something or someone was threatened.  
  
And then again, as bad as all those things might have seemed, Hermione had always found that not in spite of them but rather because of them and all his other qualities that she had loved him. He was who he was because of all of those facets to his personality and without even one of them, then he just wouldn't be the same person. And she didn't want him to change.  
  
Anyway, he made up for all his flaws tenfold. Ron had always been one of the most loyal, devoted, honest people Hermione had ever known in her life. He was a passionate person who, when even faced with the chance of death, would not even flinch and would stand tall by his loved ones and fight 'til the death. He was caring, kind, generous, and loving. He could make her smile no matter how horrible she felt and even though he sometimes was awkward and stumbling, she only found it more endearing. He was her best friend since she was eleven and no matter what happened in her life, what they had between the two of them would never be matched. They were connected by loyalty, devotion and love. And she couldn't help but realize that no matter what, no man would ever compare to him, even if he had pushed her away.

_'He pushed you away Hermione. Don't forget that. He never loved you...'  
  
'But why? Why when things were so...so...right between us? We had everything we needed. We had each other and that's all that mattered.'  
  
'Because it wasn't enough. You weren't enough. You can't make him love you. And maybe it's time to move on...'  
  
_Hermione sat in silence as she internally debated with herself. It was true. He had pushed her away and he had said that he didn't love her. He had actually looked her in the eyes and said it. She closed her eyes painfully as visions of that day at the Burrow flashed through her head. Then she sat up straight, opening her eyes and staring ahead determinedly.  
  
_'It's time for me to move on... for good.'_  
  
"You look upset."  
  
Hermione turned her head to see a dark figure standing behind her. She squinted as she tried to make out who it was, and as they walked into the light, she tried to smile and hoped it looked unstrained.  
  
"I'm not upset Ron. I'm just thinking."  
  
"About what?" He walked up and sat down beside her on the bench.  
  
She glanced at him briefly. "Things..." she said vaguely.  
  
"I guess you don't want to tell me then?" he asked.  
  
Hermione shook her head. "Well no, its not that. I just need to figure out a few things for myself before I try to explain it to others." She looked at him. "Do you know what I mean?"  
  
Ron nodded. "Yeah. I do." They were both quiet for a moment as they stared up at the stars.  
  
"So where have you and Harry been all night? I haven't even seen you two at all."  
  
"Well, Harry, Tony, Sean and I all are head of the security at the party so we have been spending most of the night just making sure everything was just as it was supposed to be. But, when it got closer to around ten, I think we all decided that it looked like things were pretty safe so we should at least go and enjoy some of the party."  
  
Hermione nodded her agreement. "It looks like you guys work really hard."  
  
Ron shrugged. "It's not like this was really hard or anything. Right now, we just want to make sure that your party goes well. It's when we get back to trying to figure out who the I.W.P. are exactly that we start to reach a brick wall."  
  
"Are things not going well with the investigation?"  
  
Ron looked at her apprehensively and she back-peddled. "You don't have to tell me of course. I mean, if you can't, that is," she said quickly.  
  
He shook his head. "No, no, it's okay. It's just this damn group. They keep sending us on these wild goose chases that lead us to nothing or, by the time we figure them out, it's already too late. It's just bloody frustrating."  
  
Hermione nodded. "I can understand that." They sat quietly again as they stared up at the stars once more. Ron glanced over at her and took in the sight of her.  
  
She was radiant. The moonlight reflected off of the gems on her dress and left her with a heavenly glow. Her cheeks were slightly rosy from the cold and her lips were painted with a pretty red that matched her dress. The necklace he had given her for Christmas sparkled and made the engraving look like it had come alive.  
  
"You look amazing Hermione."  
  
She turned to him, a surprised look on her face. "Oh, well, thank you." Her cheeks reddened slightly and Ron couldn't help but smile.  
  
As Ron watched her sitting there in the moonlight, he couldn't help but think back to other times they had sat together like this before. Just the two of them in the night, talking and laughing under the brilliant night sky. _'I miss those days...'  
  
'I have to tell her...'_  
  
It was now or never. He didn't know why this feeling had come over him but he had this feeling that if he didn't speak now, he would lose her. Ron could feel his stomach clamp painfully. He swallowed roughly as he looked at her again.  
  
"Erm...Hermio—"  
  
His sentence was cut short by a loud drum roll sounding in from the tent. The both of them looked curiously as they tried to figure out what was happening.  
  
Hermione jumped up suddenly. "Oh no! It's the last minute countdown! I promised Chris I would meet him at the stairs!"  
  
"Wait! Hermione!" But she was already up and hurrying into the tent. Ron groaned and tried to follow her in. The crowds were thick and tough as Ron tried to push his way through. "Hermione!" he called out again.  
  
"Twenty seven! Twenty six!" The crowd was counting loudly.  
  
Ron pushed frantically through the group as he tried to get to the stairs leading from the house.  
  
"Hermione!!!"  
  
"Twenty! Nineteen! Eighteen! Seventeen!"  
  
Fear started to spread through his gut as he tried to make his way through the crowd. He needed to find her. He had to. If he didn't tell her now...  
  
"Ten! Nine! Eight!"  
  
Suddenly, he saw a flash of brown ringlets and a red dress in the distance. He pushed hard into a man who cursed loudly as he spilled his drink on his front.  
  
She was so close. She was just standing right ahead of him...  
  
"SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! "  
  
She was just ahead of him... she was standing with Chris...  
  
"HERMIONE!!!" he bellowed desperately.  
  
"THREE! TWO! ONE! **HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!**"  
  
A great roar went up from the crowd as they all threw up confetti and cheered happily. Ron watched as the couples around him kissed one another lovingly and finally was able to push his way to the foot of the stairs. Hermione and Chris were standing at the top of them and...kissing.  
  
_'Bloody bastard...'_  
  
They pulled apart slowly and Ron could feel his blood boiling. He ignored the shouts of "Happy New Year!" that seemed to be randomly shouted around him and tried hard not to lunge at anyone who accidentally pushed into him as he stood watching Hermione and Chris. They just stood there, looking into each others eyes. But then Chris suddenly turned out to crowd around him, his face bursting with joy.  
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen! First and foremost, Happy New Year!!" The crowd erupted into tumultuous applause and Chris grinned brightly out at them. "I hope that you all have had a wonderful evening tonight and that you all remember not only to enjoy this New Year, but to remember the past. As for me," he looked at Hermione, "I know that without my past, I wouldn't be here today.  
  
"I stand before you tonight as not a business tycoon or a celebrity or as a public symbol. Tonight, I am nothing more than just a man. A man who made a resolution for this New Year." He turned to Hermione and brought her hands up into his own. "This woman here is the most hard working, smartest, gorgeous, gentle, loving, caring, brilliant, _amazing_ women I have ever met before. Without her, I am nothing."  
  
Hermione smiled and blushed. Chris smiled lovingly at her again and raised his champagne flute high into the air. "I propose a toast! To Hermione Granger; my best friend and the love of my life."  
  
"To Hermione!!" came the enthusiastic response from the guests. Many sniffs were heard throughout the crowd as they watched the happy couple stand gazing at one another adoringly. Ron, feeling thoroughly beaten, started to slowly back away from the front of the steps, hoping to avoid rousing anyone's suspicions. However, as Chris looked out at the guests again, Ron found himself looking up at him once again to see what he had to say.  
  
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is time for me to keep good on my resolution." Chris turned to face Hermione who looked at him curiously.  
  
Ron could feel his heart stop.  
  
"Oh no..."  
  
Chris reached into his robes and pulled out a small, black box. He smiled as he took Hermione's hand into his own and then, very gracefully, he knelt down on one knee.  
  
Alarms went off in Ron's brain and he couldn't function. _'SHIT! SHIT! **NO!**'  
_  
"Hermione, you mean to me more than you could ever know. Everyday, I wake up and I am so thankful for having someone like you in my life. You know me better than anyone ever could and I can't see myself with anyone else. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, from now until the end of time." He opened the small box and inside sat a silver ring with a large, light blue diamond on it that flashed brilliantly in the light.  
  
_'DO SOMETHING RON! JESUS... STOP! STOP!!'_  
  
Chris looked up at Hermione, his face full of emotion and love. "Hermione Jane Granger, will you marry me?"  
  
A collective gasp was heard through the audience as they waited in anticipation. Chris stared up at Hermione expectantly while she just stood staring down at the box and the ring, her jaw slightly opened. Ron strained as he tried to read her face for any emotions but found himself coming up empty.  
  
_'Please...'_ he pleaded with her mentally. _'Please Hermione. Don't do it. Please God, don't let her do it...'  
_  
Finally, Hermione closed her eyes as if she were deep in thought and then opened them again. They shone brightly with unshed tears and she looked back at Chris and beamed.  
  
"Yes. I will marry you."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------

Please. Don't hate me and not review. Tell me how much you hate me IN the review! Hahaha...

Oh, and if you weren't surprised by the proposal, I apologize. And if you were, then good. But just as an FYI to both; you ain't seen nothin' yet.

Toodles.


	9. Love' Is Only A Feeling

**Chapter 9  
  
'Love' Is Only A Feeling**

**  
**  
_'Need...more...Firewhiskey...'  
_  
Even in his head, Ron found himself unable to form complete sentences and speak well. His voice was slurred and slow, and everything was hazy all around him. Ron sat at the bar of the Hog's Head pub in Hogsmeade forlornly. He had Apparated there about an hour and a half before and was by now so thoroughly drunk that he couldn't even think straight, let alone do anything else other than drink and order more drinks.  
  
His head lay on the bar lazily as he sat on the stool, an empty shot glass in front of him. Wearily, he lifted his head slightly. "'Nuther Firewhishkey..." he slurred to the bar keep.  
  
The old man behind the counter looked at him apprehensively. "You really think you should have anymore? Don't you think it's time you just go home?"  
  
Fire raged inside of Ron and he barked back, "I'll bloody well tell you when I'm done! Now get me 'nuther!"  
  
The man shook his head and filled up a new shot glass with the dark amber liquid. Ron stared at it as it sat in front of his face and blinked. He didn't know what good all this would do him. He knew drinking wasn't helping anything but right now, if he could just distract himself long enough, maybe he could pass out and never wake up again. Never have to deal with what he was currently faced with.  
  
Being in the deep, drunken stupor that he was, Ron vaguely remembered what had happened back at Rhiney Manor. Of course, he remembered that he had been there with Harry and Ginny, overseeing things and making sure everything went smoothly. He then remembered walking into the rose gardens and talking to someone. It was a woman. An unbelievably stunning woman with the most beautiful smile and entrancing eyes...  
  
_'Hermione...'_  
  
Hermione had been the one he had been talking to in the gardens. She was the one who he had run off from. And, she was the one who was engaged to be married; and it wasn't to Ron.  
  
_'No, no! Can't remember!'_ Ron sat up angrily and grabbed the shot glass in front of him roughly. Looking at the amber liquid slosh around briefly, he then tilted his head back and downed the contents in one gulp, slamming the glass back down once he was finished. The drink was potent and Ron could feel it travel down his throat, burning as it went. He placed his head into his hand and sat staring at the counter pitifully.  
  
------------  
  
"Yes. I will marry you."  
  
Ron felt his knees give out. He didn't even notice he had fallen until someone next to him bent down to pull him back up. Ron shook his head and desperately looked back up at the couple. There they were, Chris still down on one knee while Hermione stood before him, beaming. Chris had now taken the ring out of the box and was carefully slipping it onto Hermione's long, elegant finger, smiling like an idiot as he did so. As soon as it was on, Chris was up in a flash and had gathered Hermione up into his arms, hugging her tightly as he swung her around. She squealed and laughed, then the two of them kissed passionately as tears fell down both their faces, forgetting all the other people in the room.  
  
Ron felt his knees give out again, but this time he was held up before he hit the ground. "Maybe you should go see one of the Aurors for help," the man said as he held on to Ron's arms helping him to stand up again. Ron nodded numbly, not caring to correct the man, and stared blankly.  
  
_'This can't be happening. It can't be. I still love her. No... no! Please, Hermione no...'_  
  
He watched as people started walking past him to go greet the happy couple and he felt himself get lost. He didn't know what he was doing anymore. He just saw her, standing there, laughing as she hugged people and happily showed off her sparkling gem.  
  
_'It is. She's... gone...'  
_  
--------------  
  
After that, things became a blur. He had been sober when it all happened; he had been working and drinking on the job was not only unprofessional and not allowed, but considering the situation they were in and how dangerous it really was, drinking could not only cause him to lose his job but it could end up costing many lives.  
  
Of course Ron hadn't been thinking about that though.  
  
--------------  
  
He started to back away from the crowd, his gaze never leaving Hermione as she stood on the top of the stairs with Christopher. His head was ringing and his body was numb; all he could feel was the painful gripping in his chest as his heart throbbed horribly, like it were about to burst. Ron hardly even noticed when he bumped into one of the various waiters that was walking around with a tray of champagne flutes. Ron, without even thinking about it, grabbed one and downed the whole thing in one gulp. Next thing he knew, he was on his sixth flute of champagne and thoroughly buzzed.  
  
Somehow, he had managed to avoid everyone in his family as well as his friends, but not for a lack of trying on their part. In fact, as soon as Hermione had accepted Chris's proposal, the different members of the family all looked around warily to try and see if they could spot Ron. Only Harry and Ginny had actually seen him, however despite their attempts, they found that trying to catch up with him was damn near impossible. Of course they had tried calling out to him, but whether he actually heard them or if he just chose to ignore them, they never did find out.  
  
Ron eventually found his way out to the rose garden again and stood there watching as his puffs of breath froze in the air. Despite the cold, Ron could feel the heat coming off of his body as the alcohol in his system took its effect. There was a slight buzzing in his ears as he looked at the porcelain ground and he tried hard to focus on it. It gleamed in the moonlight and sat before him, pure and untainted.  
  
The sound of light, crunching footsteps from behind him brought his focus back to reality. He turned around unsteadily and strained his eyes to try and make out the form coming towards him, but it was only when the person started to speak that he was able to discover who it was.  
  
"Ron? What are you doing out here?"  
  
It was Hermione.  
  
Ron felt his chest tighten slightly as she stood before him, her face etched with worry, but he cleared his throat and put up what he hoped was a nonchalant look.  
  
"Nothing. I just...well, er... there are so many people inside and, erm, what with all the toasts going on, I can't really think is all..." Ron tried hard to smile but found that in his inebriated state as well as the painful feeling gripping in his chest, that it was much harder than he would have thought.  
  
She looked at him skeptically but said nothing. Ron felt himself stiffen as she walked closer to him and found himself forcibly willing himself not to look down at her hand to see the ring gleam in the moonlight. Hermione stopped when she reached his side and looked off into the distance as she spoke.  
  
"You know, I saw you."  
  
"Erm... sorry?"  
  
She looked up at him briefly. "I saw you in the crowd after Chris proposed." She paused and looked down. "You...you looked like you'd seen a ghost or something."  
  
_'Of course I did! You just said yes to marrying some other man!'_  
  
"Oh..."  
  
They were quiet a moment but then Hermione turned to face him and Ron looked back at her uneasily. "You're not happy, are you?"  
  
"Erm... well...I..." Ron stuttered helplessly. She cut him off however.  
  
"You're not. I could see it in your eyes when Chris proposed. You looked like you had been told someone had died."  
  
When Ron didn't respond, Hermione continued. "I didn't expect it. I mean, Chris is wonderful and I knew that he loved me, but I just didn't think that with all that's been going on lately that he would ever do something like this." Ron stared at her blankly and watched her as she looked back out ahead of them again. "But I'm glad he did. I really am."  
  
Ron didn't know what to say so instead he just stared down at her. They stood in silence for a bit, listening as the people inside the tents talked jovially as music played gracefully in the background.  
  
"I need to ask you something Ron, and you don't have to answer now, but I want you to think about it."  
  
Ron gulped nervously and nodded to her. Just what was she going to ask? Was she going to confront him about how he felt about her? _'Bloody hell, if that's it, then I definitely haven't had enough to drink yet.'  
_  
Hermione cleared her throat nervously and looked down at her hands as she spoke. "Well, Chris and I were talking about what we wanted for the wedding and we decided that for the sake of my parents, we would have a Muggle wedding." Ron felt himself relax slightly as he realized she wasn't going to ask him about how he felt but then blanched as he realized she was talking about marrying Chris. _'Where are those damn waiters with the drinks?!?'_  
  
"A...a Muggle wedding..." he repeated dumbly.  
  
"Well, yes. Christopher's parents passed away years ago and Chris practically insisted that we do it the way I wanted to. And, not that there's anything wrong with Wizard weddings but ever since I was little, I've always dreamt about my 'dream wedding' and I just don't think I could part with that."  
  
Ron nodded numbly and tried to act interested. "So, what does this all have to do with me?"  
  
Hermione looked slightly embarrassed and laughed nervously as her cheeks reddened. "Oh! Sorry, I guess I got a bit carried away there. Yes, well, back to what I was saying before about needing to ask you something..." she paused for a moment, taking a deep breath as she did so and then spoke once again, her beautiful brown eyes gazing up into his blue ones. "Ron, there's a tradition in Muggle weddings where the father of the bride gives her away to her groom by walking her down the aisle. I've already talked to my dad about this and he was fine with my idea but now it just means I have to make sure it's all right with you."  
  
Ron shook his head. "What do you mean you have to 'make sure it's all right with me'? What do I have to do with this?"  
  
She smiled at him warmly. "Ron. I want **you** to do it. I want you to give me away..."  
  
--------------  
  
Ron rubbed his eyes wearily and glanced at the clock on the wall. Two- thirty A.M. He had been sitting at this bar for almost an hour and a half. And yet, he didn't think he could ever bring himself to leave it. The thought of going back to Rhiney Manor and facing not only the stream of questioning he would probably get, but just the thought of having to even look at Hermione in the face again was too painful in itself.  
  
She had asked him to give her away. To another man. And he had agreed.  
  
She had looked at him so hopefully and as always, he had given in. He had always found it hard to say no to her when she was really excited or dedicated to something. Even if he would give her a hard time afterwards, he would always be there for her, supporting her one hundred percent.  
  
But what had he gotten himself into now?  
  
After she had asked, he had tried to act happy, even excited for her, and immediately said yes without even taking into account what exactly saying yes then entailed. He had not only promised to walk Hermione down the aisle at her wedding, in front of all of her friends and family, but also to give her to the one man who was everything Ron would never be.  
  
This fact seemed to hit Ron rather hard after the words had come out of his mouth, and as a result, he found that he couldn't stand there any longer. He had to forget about everything and numb the pain in his chest. That's how he had ended up at the Hog's Head. After agreeing, he had turned abruptly, saying something about having to go check on the band, and left Hermione standing alone in the rose garden. Somehow, he had managed to Apparate to the pub, (how he had done it without splinching himself still remained a mystery to him), and sat down, fully determined to get so thoroughly drunk that he wouldn't be able to remember his own name. And slowly, he had started to reach his goal.  
  
By now, he didn't notice when the door leading in and out of the pub opened, nor when someone sat down to the right of him. He took no notice of the smooth, feminine voice asking for a scotch on the rocks, or the thin, manicured fingers that reached out and took the drink from the bar keep. No, it was only the flash of blood red polish that gleamed devilishly from the person's nails that caused him to take any notice of her presence at all. He brought his gaze up to her face and felt himself freeze where he sat, wide eyed.  
  
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Mr. Ronald Weasley." Lisa sat next to him, smiling seductively. Her black, velvet dress robes were entirely too short and Ron couldn't help but stare at her smooth, creamy white legs as she crossed them. She smirked. "Like what you see?"  
  
Inside, Ron was a jumbled mess of thoughts and emotions and even though he knew what Lisa was doing, he didn't find himself wanting her to stop. "What're you doin' here?" he asked slowly.  
  
"I think the better question is, what are _you_ doing here? Aren't you supposed to be over at Rhiney Manor watching the party?"  
  
"You said that both me an' Tony din't haf to be there's long as one of us was with 'im."  
  
Lisa started to laugh. "Merlin, are you drunk. But you're right. I did say that you both didn't have to be there. And, what with all the Aurors that are already there, I'm sure you're disappearance is hardly even noted." She shifted in her stool so that she faced him completely, her back straight, making her bust stand out. Ron tried hard not to, but found himself looking anyway. He immediately looked away afterwards but she had noticed anyway. She smiled. "Now, whether you're allowed to be here or not aside, what are you doing here when you could be having a good time over at the party?"  
  
"I..." Ron had no intention on telling her what had happened or why he was now at the Hog's Head, utterly smashed. However, perhaps it was the six flutes of Champagne and the innumerous shots of Firewhiskey that changed his mind, but before he could stop, he found himself recounting the story of what had happened at Rhiney Manor and how Chris had proposed to Hermione. Of course, he didn't mention the fact that he was hurt and bitter that she had accepted; in fact he made no mention of his feelings for Hermione and instead led Lisa to believe that the reason why he left was because things were too stuffy and boring at the party and he just wanted to get out and have a good time.  
  
"Well, that's good for them. They must really love each other."  
  
"Oh please," Ron said bitterly. "What is love anyway? Nothing. It's just a bunch of bullocks, if you ask me. No one really loves anyone. Love is only a feeling that people made up so that they would have an excuse to shag. And even then, some people don't need the excuse. See, those people, they're the smart ones. The rest of them are just fools and bloody thick as hell if they really buy into the whole 'love' thing..."  
  
Lisa seemed to study him for a while after this outburst, but said nothing. It seemed she regarded him with a sense of curiosity, however she didn't press him anymore on what caused his little rant. Instead she took a sip of her drink, then said, "So you got tired of the boring toasts and decided to head out, on your own, to start your own little party?"  
  
"Basically," Ron said.  
  
"Well, by the looks of things, it seems you're having a pretty shitty party." Ron opened his mouth to protest but she brought a finger up to his lips and shushed him. "It's just a good thing I came here, isn't it?" He closed his mouth and she brought her hand away with another smile.  
  
Ron watched as she coolly sipped at her drink. Her lips were a dark red and her hair fell seductively around her face, framing it. Instinctively, Ron licked his lips as he watched her. His heart and head were screaming to him that this was wrong, that she was wrong, but the voracious ache that he felt inside of him refused to go away, despite the large amounts of alcohol that he had consumed and he was just so desperate to feel something... anything...  
  
Lisa's eyes wandered slowly around the room before falling back on Ron. "So, where's Harry? Didn't want to join in on the festivities?"  
  
"Er...he doesn't know where I am. No one does."  
  
Lisa's lips curled into another mischievous smile. She moved in closer to Ron and he could smell the perfume she wore. It smelled distinctly of hibiscus and although it made him feel dizzy, he couldn't help but find it highly erotic. She spoke slowly, her red lips forming each word carefully. "Perfect."  
  
Ron felt her hand slip deftly onto his knee and start rubbing it, causing shivers to run up and down his spine. She was quiet as she rubbed his knee, but then looked back up at him again, her eyes dark with passion. "You know, the last time we were in this type of position, your friend Harry stopped us. But," she glanced around the room again, "he's not here now. It's just you and me." Her hand moved up to his thigh and Ron felt himself tense up at the contact. He looked into her eyes and waited for her to speak again. "So. How about you and I finish what we started before then, shall we?"  
  
Ron sat staring at her in shock for what seemed like an eternity. He couldn't think properly as it was because of his highly inebriated state, but then when she had offered what she just had, he found himself completely frozen. Did she really just ask him what he thought she had just asked him? The last time they had been together, Lisa had just been about to take him back to her flat for what she called a 'night cap.' Of course, Ron had been pissed then, but not nearly as bad as he was now, yet even so, he knew exactly what would happen if he went back to her flat. Lisa had never been one to hide her attraction to Ron and although most men would find it at least flattering and would give in to her obvious advancements, Ron always pushed her away. She was everything Ron didn't want in a woman. However that evening, he had been vulnerable just like he was tonight, and the cause of this was the same then as it was now: Hermione.  
  
That night at the Leaky Calderon had been a rough one. Ron and Harry, who had just finished their training, had been able to go out to the pub for a couple of drinks. However, while the rest of the Aurors joked and laughed, Ron felt himself falling deeper and deeper into a depressed state. Harry finally noticed it and asked Ron about it. At first, he had shrugged it off as nothing but Harry knew him better than that and pressed him on it. Finally, Ron admitted that the reason why he was so unhappy was because that night was the same night that three years prior, he had broken up with Hermione, not only ending their relationship but also their friendship.  
  
Although Harry had tried to help him, Ron had insisted that he was all right and that it was nothing for Harry to worry about. As if to prove his point, he went back to the group and acted as if nothing were wrong. However, he drank more than he should have and when he was tempted by Lisa to leave with her, Harry stepped in to stop him from making a mistake he knew that Ron would later regret. Harry took him back to his flat and Ron had later sworn that he would never get that out of hand again.  
  
And yet, there he sat at the bar of the Hog's Head, pissed, lonely, and in the same situation he had been in only months prior. Only this time, there was no Harry to stop him.  
  
Lisa touched his face lightly, placing a stray hair back into place. "So? What do you say?"  
  
Ron sat staring for a moment more, his face revealing nothing. Finally, he spoke. "Let's go."  
  
-------------  
  
Hermione stood holding Chris' hand as they spoke with her parents about the upcoming union. She beamed happily as Chris spoke and added on bits and pieces of conversation every so often, but despite her happy demeanor, something bothered her. In her mind, she kept replaying her conversation with Ron in the rose garden.  
  
_'Why did he just leave so suddenly like that?'_ she wondered. As soon as he had agreed to walking her down the aisle, something had come over his seemingly happy countenance and before she could stop him, he had run off, saying something quickly about checking up on the band. It just didn't make sense to her.  
  
But then again, maybe it did.  
  
_'No.'_ Hermione thought sternly. _'I've been through this before. He's over me. He was over me a long time ago and nothing's changed now.'  
  
'Then why did he look at you like that when you accepted Chris' proposal? How about when you were in the rose garden?'_ her mind countered.  
  
_'Stop. He doesn't love me. He never did. And now I have someone who does. Someone who wants to spend the rest of his life with me. So stop.'  
  
'Too bad he's just not Ron...'  
_  
"Hermione?"  
  
"Ginny? Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione looked at her two friends standing before her. They both looked worried and pulled her off to the side so that no one would hear their conversation.  
  
"Hermione, have you seen Ron?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well, yes, but only for a bit."  
  
"When was the last time you saw him?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Out in the rose garden after the proposal. We talked and then he just...left."  
  
"He just left?" Harry repeated.  
  
"Did he say where he was going?"  
  
"Well, he said he was going to check on the band but I don't think he ever did." Hermione watched as Harry and Ginny shared a concerned look between them. "What's going on? Is Ron all right?"  
  
"Not exactly..." Harry began.  
  
"We just haven't seen him and we were getting a little worried is all. If you see him will you tell him that we're looking for him?"  
  
"Of course. And do the same for me if you see him."  
  
"Right."  
  
She watched as the walked away, their heads bent as they talked to one another. Something was up. They could try to pretend that there was nothing wrong, but they couldn't fool her. Hermione was the smartest witch they knew. She turned back to her parents and Chris, who immediately sought out her hand and gave it a loving squeeze as he smiled at her. Hermione smiled back, but in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but think,  
  
_'Where are you Ron?'_  
  
-------------  
  
This was wrong. It was wrong, and deep inside, Ron knew it. And yet, as Lisa led him up the stairs to her flat, he didn't care anymore.  
  
His head buzzed and he staggered as he walked up the steps one by one. Lisa held onto his hand to help steady him and also leading the way as they made it up. Ron watched as her hips swayed in front of him and he blinked several times as his vision started to blur. Even though he was pissed beyond reason and could hardly hold himself up, he was still able to notice the way her tight, black robes fitted to her body perfectly, bringing out every curve and dip in her body. As she held his hand, he didn't feel the tingle of electricity he felt whenever he and Hermione touched, but she was strong and commanding and led him up the stairs.  
  
_'Don't think of Hermione now.' _He shook his head angrily and brought his thoughts back to the present. As he looked up again, he saw that Lisa had reached a door and had opened it. She stepped inside and smiled back at Ron who followed her in.  
  
The flat was small, with a large, black leather couch in the middle of the front room and a glass coffee table. A sliding glass door was directly across the room from Ron and led out to a small balcony which had a view over most of Muggle London. The lights that came in through the window from the city made Ron's head spin but before he could do anything, Lisa had pushed him down onto the couch. She magically lit a couple of candles and sat down next to him, her hand still resting on his chest from when she pushed him. Lisa's face was illuminated by the light from the candles and the glowing moon outside and Ron watched as a playful smile graced her dark red lips.  
  
Ron licked his lips nervously and tried to focus on her face. He felt, rather than really saw, her move closer to him, her face inches away from his. Her breath was warm and sent shivers down his spine as she whispered in his ear. "How about you and I start our own party?" she purred. Ron felt her move next to him and before he knew it, she had positioned herself on top of him, straddling his waist. He gulped as he looked up at her, her hair falling onto one side of her face.  
  
Then she moved in closer, her face inches away from his. Ron shuddered as she pressed closer to him and as her warm, soft lips met his, he gasped sharply. Lisa's kisses weren't soft or loving; instead they were rough and needy. At first, Ron sat unmoving, unsure of what to do at the sudden contact. However, as she started to move her lips against his, he seemed to sober up quickly and started to kiss her back. Her lips opened against his and he took it as a signal to deepen their kiss. As his tongue grazed lightly against hers, she moaned into his mouth and Ron instantly felt himself grow aroused. His hands which had been gripping the couch before moved to her sides, running up and down her back as they kissed.  
  
Their kisses became more intense and finally Lisa broke away, leaving them both panting. Ron groaned in frustration at the loss of sensation causing Lisa to giggle lightly. "Don't worry Ron. We haven't even started yet." And with one swift movement, Lisa was up and had brought Ron with her. She brought his head down to hers again and they kissed fervently. Ron ran his hands through her hair and down her back again, landing gingerly on her backside. She pulled away from him again and with a look of eager determination, she pulled up on his dress robes. Ron watched as the silky blue fabric went up and over his head quickly and landed on top of the couch. Then in the next instant, she was kissing him again, her hands grasping at the hem of his white undershirt.  
  
This time Ron pulled away from her and Lisa looked back at him, a curious look on her face. "What's wrong?" she asked breathlessly.  
  
Ron stood studying her for a moment. Her hair was disheveled and her red lipstick worn. Her gray eyes were dark with passion and eyed him hungrily as he stood staring. As he looked on at her, his head was buzzing with different thoughts. He knew what was going to happen. If he continued to kiss her, he knew what would be the result. Of course, at that point, he didn't think he really wanted to stop. His body was definitely willing to go on with what looked to be the inevitable, but his heart and his head caused him to hesitate from moving too quickly, despite the ungodly amount of alcohol in his system. _'What about Hermione?'_  
  
He shook his head and as Lisa stood watching him quizzically, he tried to smile slightly and replied, "Nothing. Nothing's wrong. Nothing at all."  
  
She smiled wickedly back up at him and leaned in, kissing him hard. He responded willingly and after a few moments, seemed to reach a decision. Without another thought, he picked her up around the waist, causing her to squeal in delight and wrap her legs around his waist. She smiled as she kissed him on the neck, causing Ron to growl and he carried her down the small hallway and into her bedroom at the end.  
  
Ron threw her down on to the bed and she giggled as he stood above her. Just as he was about to lean back down on top of her, he saw a flash as a memory shot across his mind...  
  
- - - - - - -  
  
_He felt his lips curl into a small smile and, staring into her eyes adoringly, whispered, "I love you Hermione. More than you can ever know."  
  
Much to his delight, he watched as her beautiful lips slowly formed a smile back. "I love you too, Ron."   
_  
- - - - - - -  
  
"No..." Ron said quietly.  
  
"Sorry?" Lisa asked as she sat up on her elbows.  
  
"Erm...nothing..." Ron stuttered. _'I can't think about that. I won't. I need to forget...'_  
  
Lisa stood up next to Ron and pushed him down onto the bed. "Here," she said, "let me just get a little bit more..._comfortable_..." Ron stared wide eyed as Lisa brought her tight, black robes up and over her head, leaving her in no more than a black, lacy bra and matching knickers. Ron gulped audibly and Lisa smiled. "Now. Where were we? Ah yes, I remember."  
  
She pushed Ron down again and straddled his waist once more. Her skin was warm and soft to the touch as Ron ran his hands all over her body greedily. They both sat upright, their mouths never breaking for a moment, and Lisa grabbed for the hem of his shirt. Pulling roughly, she managed to get it up and over his head, revealing his smooth, creamy skin underneath. She dipped her head down and kissed at his collarbone, causing Ron to moan...  
  
- - - - - - -  
  
_Hands trembling, but with a look of resolute determination, Hermione gradually brought them up to the hem of his t-shirt and ever so slowly, pulled it up and over his head, tossing it to the side afterwards._  
  
- - - - - - -  
  
Ron's eyes snapped open as another memory flooded his mind. Quickly, he kissed Lisa forcefully on the mouth, making to erase any memories that tried to fight their way in. He was determined to forget, to feel and care about something else...  
  
- - - - - - -  
  
_Their kisses became more and more heated, their desire for each other more obvious, until finally Hermione broke away, leaving them both gasping for air and Ron whimpering slightly for more. She giggled lightly at his reaction and he could feel his face burn, but she smiled sweetly and kissed his forehead._  
  
- - - - - - -  
  
"Bloody hell..." Ron groaned miserably.  
  
"Getting impatient are we?" Lisa grinned. Her hand moved down his chest and rested on the swelling in his trousers, causing Ron to gasp at the touch. "Let me help you then." She pulled off his shoes and socks, then unbuttoned his trousers and, after pushing him back down again, pulled them off, leaving him sitting there in his boxers. Her eyes got wide and a smile played devilishly across her lips. "My, my... quite impressive."  
  
Before she could protest, Ron had flipped her over so that she lay beneath him and he hovered above her. She giggled again and Ron kissed her forcefully, greedily, needing to stop thinking, wanting only to feel...  
  
- - - - - - -  
  
_Hermione gasped.  
  
"Are you all right?" Ron asked, his breath ragged and uneven. "I hurt you didn't I?" Panic coursed through him at the thought of having hurt her. "I'll stop if you want."  
  
Hermione kept her eyes closed. "No, don't stop," she answered breathlessly. "I don't want you to stop. Just...go slowly, love. Just go slow." _  
  
- - - - - - -  
  
Ron closed his eyes angrily and tried to force himself to focus on what was happening right then in the bedroom with Lisa. But suddenly, he felt himself being bombarded with visions; these memories flooding his brain and his body with feelings of want and regret and caused him to gasp.  
  
- - - - - - -  
  
_Ron could feel all sanity start to slip away from him and although he wanted to wait, he knew that soon he wouldn't have a choice because he would be too far gone to hope for anything else._  
  
- - - - - - -  
  
Lisa kissed him swiftly on the mouth, then moaning out in pleasure...  
  
- - - - - - -  
  
_"Oh Ron..." she moaned. Ron responded with a guttural sound from the back of his throat. He had to force himself to slow down, knowing that going faster would hurt Hermione.  
  
"Jesus Christ, Hermione," he cried as he held her closer to his body, reveling in the feeling of her. Sweat beads formed on his back and his forehead and started to roll down his face. Hermione wiped at them haphazardly, kissing him hard on the mouth after.   
_  
- - - - - - -  
  
Lisa brought her hands down to the elastic of his boxers, toying with it as she nibbled his ear playfully...  
  
- - - - - - -  
  
_Ron could feel the waves of ecstasy starting to form behind a dam inside of him. He tried hard to preserve some feeling of control but he felt it quickly ebbing away. Hermione seemed to be gasping for air too as she reached some sort of release.  
  
"I love you Ron," she cried desperately, her hands clinging to his shoulders.  
  
"I love you so much Hermione. I love you so much!"  
  
He couldn't hold back anymore and in an instant, the dam broke and wave after wave of pleasure and bliss rolled through him. He fell in a heap on top of her, both of them breathing heavily as if they had just run a marathon. Hermione stroked his hair lovingly and kissed his sweaty forehead. Their bodies tingled as resonating feelings of ecstasy and love ran through them and then exhaustion as well.  
  
As Ron's eyelids started to droop, Hermione whispered, "I love you..."  
_  
- - - - - - -  
  
"Oh Ron..." Lisa sighed as she kissed him on the mouth again, her hands still playing with the band of his boxers.  
  
"Hermione..."  
  
Lisa pulled away abruptly. She gazed at Ron uncertainly. "What did you just say?"  
  
Ron blanched. Everything came crashing back as he realized where he was and what was happening. He stared at Lisa who lay wearing no more than just her bra and knickers, then at himself as he lay on top of her wearing only his boxers and suddenly, Ron felt nauseous.  
  
At his lack of response, Lisa started to get angry. "What did you just say?" she demanded.  
  
_'I shouldn't be here. What was I thinking? What was **thinking**??'_  
  
"**What** was I **thinking**?" he said aloud. Lisa's face wrinkled in confusion and disgust at Ron's statement.  
  
"What do you mean what were you thinking? You were thinking you and I were going to shag, that's what you were thinking!"  
  
Ron's jaw dropped at the realization of what had just almost happened and he got up immediately. He backed away from the bed quickly, stumbling on his trousers as he did so. Grabbing them up and starting to shove them back on, Lisa watched in horror, her face alive with anger.  
  
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?!"  
  
"This was a mistake. I should have never come back here with you..."  
  
"What do you mean this was a mistake?!? What the hell happened? One minute you're fine, and then the next you're running scared!!"  
  
Ron shook his head and grabbed for his shirt. "I can't do this. I don't love you. I don't know you... hell, I don't even like you!" Ron's face wrinkled in disgust. "Jesus, I can't believe I almost..." he shuddered and pulled his shirt down over his head.  
  
"Wait a minute." Lisa got up off of the bed and walked over to Ron who was gathering up his socks and shoes. "Wait one bloody minute. I know what this is about. It's about that girl." Ron stopped and stared up at Lisa.  
  
"Wha—"  
  
"The one you just mentioned now." She glared at him for a moment and then, realization hit. "Oh my God..."  
  
"Lisa..."  
  
"Oh my God! You're in love with that girl that Christopher Rhiney's engaged to now, aren't you? That Hermione bird!!"  
  
"Lisa please—"  
  
"I can't believe it!"  
  
Ron got up and headed into the next room to grab his dress robes and throw them back on. "Lisa, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come over in the first place."  
  
"You're a fool you know that? She'll never love you back."  
  
Ron froze in place. "Sor—sorry?"  
  
Lisa walked over to him, her eyes cold and her voice low and icy. "She'll never love you back. You're hoping that you can win her over, but you'll never be able to. You've lost Ron. You're just a lonely man who's stuck watching the woman he loves love somebody else."  
  
Ron blanched and swallowed hard, trying hard not to yell. Anger and hurt bubbled up inside him as Lisa spoke and all he wanted to do was get out of there as soon as possible.  
  
"But you know," she said quietly, her hand resting on his chest once more as she came closer, "you're not as alone as you think. I'm here, and it's like you said earlier, 'Love is only a feeling that people made up so that they would have an excuse to shag. And even then, some people don't need the excuse.' So what about us? What do we need love for anyway when we have each other?"  
  
Ron watched her in disgust as she tried a last attempt to get him to stay with her for the night. He pushed her away and glared menacingly at her. "No Lisa. Maybe that's true for some people, but I was wrong before. Love is more important than just shagging whoever comes along. And I do love someone, and even if I don't have a chance with her, I'm not going to mess things up with her either by making a stupid mistake like this and sleeping with a slag like you."  
  
"You bastard!" Lisa screamed. "How dare you speak to me that way!"  
  
Ron shook his head as another wave of nausea hit him. The room started spinning around him and everything was blurry. He no longer could hear what Lisa was screaming at him and he tried to steady himself. "I've gotta go," he said. I've gotta... get...back—"The room was spinning out of control now and the last thing Ron could see was the moon outside of the window before everything went black.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------

Let's see. If I were a reader, (who loved this story, no less) and I had just read a chapter where the hero gets...

-Heartbroken

-Pissed out of his mind

-Almost shags a girl from the office but stops after he realizes how much he loves the heroine

-But then passes out

...what would I do?

I sure as hell wouldn't just leave. But I would leave a **REVIEW**.

Oh, and I hope you weren't to confused. In case you were, the parts where there were dashed lines and the text was all in italics ment that Ron was experiencing a very clear memory. The other text that you've read in previous chapters that's in italics and quotes means that they are inner dialogue. Now you know. Now **REVIEW**.


	10. Screaming Infidelities

**Chapter 10   
  
Screaming Infidelities**

Everything was black. He couldn't see anything, but he could hear. And more importantly, he could feel.

__

_'__Bloody hell...'_

There was a soft murmuring coming from above him, but as his head threatened to explode, all he could think was how it sounded like a thunderous roar. He brought his hands to his head wearily and grimaced at the pain, groaning as he rubbed his eyes. He heard the voices speak a little more rapidly then felt something move up and away from him at the end of the bed.

"Well. Good morning sunshine."

Ron moaned as the voice ran through his ears, causing his head, as well as his body, to throb painfully. He could tell that the voice was definitely feminine, but whose it was still remained a mystery to him. He kept his eyes closed, scared that the moment he opened them, he would be blinded by the light he could feel coming in from the window.

"Oh come on Ron, perk up! After a night like you had last night, I don't see why you should be complaining at all!"

This time, the tone of the woman's comment was distinctly sarcastic and something about the way she said it struck Ron as familiar. In an instant, he knew exactly who was sitting above him on the bed.

He tried to sit up but the pain proved to be almost unbearable. He moaned again and felt a hand grab him behind his back. "Well, if you wanted to sit up you should have said something. Although, it's not like you don't deserve this after what you did."

Ron finally sat up. He brought his hand to his head again and ran his fingers through his messy red hair, laying his head against the backboard of the bed. His mouth felt dry and he swallowed roughly. "What? No sympathy for your older brother?" Ron croaked.

He opened his eyes slowly and waited as his eyes adjusted. He was sitting in his bed at Rhiney Manor, as Ginny sat on the side of the bed, watching him with a look of slight amusement. "Ron, it's your own fault that you decided to go out and make a complete arse of yourself. And now you not only have to deal with the horrendous headache that it left you with, but you also have to deal with all your friends and family who you left to worry about you while you were out doing God knows what."

Ron grimaced. "Where is everyone? Where's Harry?"

Ginny sighed. "Harry's in the other room talking to Mum and Dad by floo telling them that you're alive and well. They were worried sick when no one could find you after the party last night, especially Mum."

"She was?" he asked guiltily.

"Of course she was! You just left, and no one knew where you'd gone, and after what happened last night, it was only natural that we all started assuming the worst."

Ron clutched his head again. "Ugh, Gin, do you think you could keep it down a bit? I'm having enough trouble as it is without you shouting at me."

Ginny sniggered. "It serves you right. Plus, what I have to say isn't even half as bad as what you'll hear from Mum or Hermione."

Ron's ears perked and his head flew up to look at Ginny. "Hermione? How is she? Where is she?"

Ginny shook her head and looked at her brother pitifully. "She was in a right state when we all realized you were missing. She was the last one to talk to you and according to her, you just ran off." Ginny looked at him a moment, then smacked him on the arm, causing Ron to yelp at the contact. "Just what were you thinking?! You had us all worried sick over you! Tony even had a small group of Aurors out looking for you!"

Ron blanched. "You had...Aurors looking for me?"

"Of course we did! You could have been kidnapped for all we knew! Ron, the reason you're even here right now is because of the I.W.P. and their plot against Christopher and Hermione. When no one could find you, we started to panic."

Ron looked down at his hands guiltily. "I didn't mean to scare everyone. I just... I needed to get away, you know? I needed to get away and...forget."

"Yeah, I bet you did," Ginny snorted sardonically. "Is that why you just ran away from Hermione? Mum was furious when she saw how upset Hermione was after she told us what had happened in the rose garden. Mum kept going on and on about you not having any manners whatsoever—"

"Ginny," Ron started quietly, "she asked me to give her away."

Ginny stopped and stared at Ron for a moment, her features contorted into a look of disbelief. As she said nothing, Ron continued softly. "It was bad enough having to see her with that...that..._Christopher Rhiney_, promising to marry him," he said through gritted teeth, "but then she comes out into the rose garden and she says all this stuff about how she wants a Muggle wedding and how there's this tradition where the father of the bride walks her down the aisle to meet her groom and he 'gives her away', and that she'd already talked to her dad about it. And then she said that she wanted me to do it. She wants me to give her away to Christopher." Ron paused painfully, closing his eyes for a moment as the scene played out in his mind again. "And I said I would, Gin. I said I would."

Ginny, who had been initially angry with her brother for just leaving like he had, now looked at him with a look of utter sorrow and sympathy. Her heart ached for her older brother as she saw the pain in his eyes and thought about what he must be feeling at the moment. "You said yes?" she asked.

Ron nodded somberly. "It only hit me what I'd agreed to afterwards and I... I just couldn't stay there anymore. I couldn't smell her or touch her or even look at her, I just," he sighed heavily, "I felt...suffocated. I couldn't breathe anymore. It was like I'd been hit in the gut by a Bludger. So I left." He was silent a moment as he let it sink in. Then he looked up at Ginny miserably. "So do you still blame me for going out and not saying anything?"

Ginny sighed deeply and grabbed her brother's hand. "No, I suppose not. Not entirely at least. I still think you should have said something though. You could have lost your job, not to mention how dangerous it was that you just left without warning. But..." she sighed again and looked at him sadly. "Oh Ron, I'm so sorry. I really am."

She leaned forward and embraced him lovingly, her red hair spilling softly into his face. Ron brought his arms up and around her, hugging her back heartily as he tried hard to fight down the rising lump in his throat. How had things gotten like this? How had they gotten so out of hand? He let himself get lost in the embrace, not caring that there he was, a twenty two year old man, holding onto his baby sister for dear life. Ginny had always been the one that was there for him. Ever since they were little, she had been the sibling he was closest with, even though he probably wouldn't have admitted it at the time. As they got older, they seemed to get closer and in just the last few years, they had been through so much together and Ron couldn't imagine not having his kid sister around.

The sound of soft footsteps coming towards the door brought them out of their embrace. They looked up and saw Harry standing there, leaning against the door frame.

"So, Sleeping Beauty decided to grace us by waking up, did he?" Ron grimaced as he tried to flatten down his hair. "Oh, that's not going to help at all. I think you're going to be stuck with it." Harry smiled cheekily as he sat on the other side of the bed. "Welcome to the club."

Ron chuckled lightly but instantly regretted it as his head gave a terrible throb. "Bloody hell... I don't think I can ever get out of this bed."

"How was Mum?" Ginny asked Harry.

"She's doing better. She was furious of course, and demanded to talk to him," Harry nodded over to Ron who sat rubbing his temples, "but I was finally able to convince her that it was best if she let him rest first."

"I'm surprised she didn't try to jump through the fire to get over here."

"Oh no, she did, but I told her not to worry. Oh, and she wants to talk with you later, Gin." As Ginny nodded, Harry looked back at Ron. "So. I see you're feeling bright and chipper this morning."

"Shove off Harry," Ron grumbled.

Harry and Ginny both sniggered. "You are a mess, you know that? What were you doing anyway?"

"I was wondering that myself, actually."

All three heads turned towards the door where another voice had been added to the conversation.

Ron gulped. "Hermione..." he said timidly. She stood watching them from the doorway with a steaming mug in her hand. Her expression was one of contempt mingled with anger and a slight trace of relief. She wore no more than her pajamas and her hair was up in a ponytail, with a small curl falling down into her face.

"Erm... Harry? Didn't you say that there was something you wanted to show me? You know. That _thing_? _In the other room_..." Ginny said after a few moments of silence.

Harry looked confused, but as Ginny stared at him pointedly, Harry seemed to get the message and nodded vigorously. "OH! Yeah, that _thing_... in the other room. Right. Er, why don't I show you it now." The two of them quickly got up and off the bed and hurriedly left the room. Ron just barely noted that they were hand in hand as they scurried out of the room, but any thoughts of Harry and Ginny were forced out of his mind as he saw Hermione still standing in the doorway, staring down at him stonily.

Ron gulped. "Er...Hi Hermione."

Hermione glared angrily at him. "Hi Hermione? That's all you have to say to me? _Hi Hermione?_" She huffed loudly and walked into the room, sitting down on the bed next to Ron. Ron winced slightly as she took his chin in between her fingers and inspected his face. She let go abruptly. "Here," she said, handing him the steaming mug. "This will help with your headache."

Ron took it tentatively and sniffed. It smelled sweet and herbal, meaning it was probably safe to drink, and took a small sip. Instantly, he felt it course through him, filling him with warmth and easing his aching body and throbbing head. He closed his eyes gratefully and leaned his head back onto the backboard, letting the warm liquid soothe his pain. "What is this stuff?" he asked curiously, opening his eyes slightly and peering over at Hermione who still sat on the edge of the bed, watching him.

"It's a tea made especially for aches and pains. I just added a bit more of the medicine in it because I had a feeling you would need it after last night." She stared at him intently as Ron sipped at the tea again, trying hard to avoid her gaze. Finally she sighed loudly, and looked him in the eyes. "Ron—"

"Wait, Hermione. Before you say anything, I just... let me at least try to explain something." Hermione closed her mouth and waited patiently for him to speak.

__

_'Shit, now what Weasley?'_

"Er... well, first, erm, I just want you to know that, er, well, that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for just leaving you there and not saying anything to anyone when I left. It was really stupid and now I know that. I just..." he rubbed his face roughly, and pain rushed through him like a strong currant. He gasped and Hermione immediately took his hands away from his face.

"Shh..." she said as she held his hands softly. Turning to the bedside table, she grabbed a small basin filled with water and a small towel. Wringing out the extra water, she took the towel and gently ran it across his forehead and his cheeks. It was more the action than the feel of the actual towel that caused the roaring pain behind Ron's eyes to subside. "The tea only _helps_ with aches and pains; it doesn't cure them." She ran her hand across his forehead and left it resting on his cheek. "You still have to be careful about what you do." She gazed gently into Ron's eyes and Ron immediately felt sparks ignite inside of him. They both looked away from the other, Ron's ears burning as he did so, and Hermione placed the basin back on the nightstand.

"You should finish your tea. It's the only thing that will help. And try to avoid getting too worked up about anything. Apparently, you really outdid yourself last night and you just need to take it easy today."

Ron nodded and took another sip of his tea. Hermione still sat on the edge of his bed, staring down at her hands as they lay clasped in her lap. As she sat there, Ron couldn't help but study her, much like how he used to do before when they were young. Many times he would catch himself gazing at the young girl from across the common room, watching as she scribbled furiously onto a roll of parchment, her brows furrowed in concentration, every so often stopping to study what she'd written while absentmindedly chewing on her nails or the end of a quill. As he watched her now though, her face seemed softer, less intense, and more...lost. The sunlight bounced playfully off of her curls as they sat high up on her head in a ponytail and Ron had the overwhelming urge to play with the little wisps that seemed to have escaped and fell softly onto her neck. He took another long sip of his tea and breathed in its gentle, sweet smell.

"Do you remember anything you did last night?"

Ron looked up from his tea at her, surprised by the sudden question and watched Hermione cautiously. She was still staring down at her hands but Ron could tell that she was obviously worried. She avoided his gaze as he stared at her and Ron felt a wave of guilt come over him. "Erm... well, not a whole lot really. I mean, I remember the party for the most part and I remember talking to you and..." Ron glanced down at Hermione's hand, finally seeing the large blue diamond for the first time since the proposal. Hermione followed his gaze and comprehension seemed to come over her as she nodded.

"The proposal," she said simply.

"Yeah," Ron said. Neither of them spoke for a while, then Ron cleared his throat and started to continue on. "Anyway, after that things sort of get a bit blurry and I can only remember bits and pieces. Like talking to you in the rose garden and Apparating to the Hog's Head—"

"What were you doing at the Hog's Head?" she asked, confused.

Ron could feel the heat radiating off his face as he looked guiltily back up at Hermione, who watched him expectantly, waiting for his answer. He sighed. "To be perfectly honest Hermione, I don't know why I chose the Hog's Head over some other place like the Three Broomsticks or the Leaky Caldron because all I cared about last night was getting pissed out of my mind and getting pissed fast." He gazed boldly into her brown eyes which looked back at him in surprise. "It really was the stupidest plan I've ever had and you have no idea how much I regret it. I wish I'd never left at all and that you and Mum and everyone else didn't have to worry about me."

He grew quiet, unsure of what to say next and waited for her to respond. She watched him intently, studying him. Ron tried to decipher what she was thinking but found himself coming up empty. Finally she spoke, her voice soft and gentle. "You scared us to death last night. All of us. Harry and Ginny noticed you were gone first and came to ask me if I'd known where you'd gone, but I hadn't seen you since you ran off from me in the rose garden. So they went to look for you some more and I was stuck talking to all the people who kept coming up to congratulate Chris and me but in the back of my mind I just had this horrible nagging feeling that something was wrong. That you weren't all right and the reason why was because of me."

Ron looked at her incredulously. "Hermione—"

She raised her hand to stop him. "I know what you're going to say, and I know that no matter what I could have done, it wouldn't have been able to stop you. You're too stubborn." She smiled a sort of half smile, then continued on. "When everyone had left and Tony said that he hadn't seen you since before the proposal, we started to panic. What if something had happened to you? We all started trying to figure out who had seen you last and then I realized..." she paused for a second and Ron could feel his heart ache at the look of pain etched across Hermione's delicate features, "I realized that I had been the last one to see you. That I was the one to watch you run away.

"I got so worried and I kept thinking that if anything happened to you, it would be all my fault. Even your mum tried to calm me down, and she was in a right state too, but I just... Ron, I was terrified. I didn't sleep last night because I was up the whole time waiting for word from any of the Aurors or Harry to see if they had found you. Of course, it came as a huge surprise when Cecile came running in the house at four in the morning, screaming at the top of her lungs in French. I was the only one who understood that what she was screaming was that she had found you. Apparently, she had thought she'd seen something out the window so she went to look and found you passed out on the front lawn. Without even thinking, I just ran out of the house and there you were, stretched out in the snow." She looked back down at her hands and continued on softly, her eyes distant as she spoke. "You were so pale and cold I almost thought—"

She stopped abruptly as her voice cracked and proceeded to play idly with her hands. Ron sat in shock as he tried to absorb all the information he had just gathered. How had he gotten back to the house? Had Lisa brought him there? But how would she have known how to get there? No, it couldn't have been Lisa... but then _who_?

Ron cleared his throat and started cautiously, "So, er, how did I get up here and into bed? What else happened?" 

"Well, Tony and Chris brought you into the house. Cecile went running off into the kitchens, still speaking French as she did while some of the other staff tried to calm her. Ginny flooed your mum and dad while Benson, Tony, and Chris went to write letters to the people out searching for you to tell them that you were all right." Hermione's ears reddened slightly. "I brought you up to your room and got you into bed. Ginny came straight in once she had talked to your mum, but I was the one that got you in here. I took care of you."

Something inside Ron warmed at the thought of Hermione worrying over him like she had, but this feeling was immediately replaced by another wave of guilt as he realized the mess he had gotten in to. What he had done was not only reckless on his part, but had obviously affected so many other people as well. His guilt was suddenly mingled with a strong feeling of regret and fear as he realized the ramifications of his actions. Pictures of both Tony and Kingsley reprimanding him for what he had done blazed across his mind and he moaned aloud.

Rubbing his temples forlornly, "Kingsley's gonna kill me. I'll be lucky if I don't lose my job." Ron heard Hermione click her tongue disapprovingly and Ron could feel his temper rise. "Hermione, don't. I don't need you reprimanding me as well. I know I deserve all this but it doesn't make it any easier, now does it?" he snapped.

He immediately regretted this, but decided it was easier to stay angry than try to make amends. He was already in enough trouble with everyone as it was, and he knew some stupid fight with Hermione wasn't going to make anything better, but it might help him get out some of his frustrations.

"Excuse me," she said indignantly, "but I don't think I have said anything that's sounded even remotely close to a reprimand. In fact, I think you've gotten off pretty easily so far, despite the fact that yes, you do deserve all that you have coming to you." Ron could see the fire ignite behind her eyes and whether it was because he was frustrated or because he couldn't help but always rise to the occasion whenever he saw that look in her eyes, he found his anger grow up inside him and he snapped back at her.

"Oh come off it! You were just about to reprimand me for being a bloody git and how if I am fired, I deserve it!"

"Well, what do you expect me to do, Ron? Coddle you like some child who needs to be sheltered? Get over yourself, Ron. You are a grown man and running off like you did last night, especially without telling anyone the way you did, **was **stupid and you're right! If you get fired, I can't help but say that it serves you right!"

"So now you **want** me to get fired?" Ron's voice grew louder and he ignored the throbbing that had returned to his temples as his anger bubbled up higher with every second.

"I never said that!"

"Oh come on Hermione, you might as well have!" he replied nastily. "You and I both know that you never thought I was good enough for this job! Even back in Hogwarts, you thought I was mental for ever wanting to become an Auror—"

"That's not true!!" she cried furiously. "How can you say that?! I've **always** supported everything you've ever done and I **always** knew that if you just applied yourself—"

"So now were back on that, are we?" 

"What on Earth are you talking about?" she shrieked.

"Admit it! You never thought I was smart enough in school and that I was just a lazy git who only cared about Quidditch!"

"Well, you **WERE **a lazy git who cared about Quidditch, but I also knew you were so much smarter than that! That's why I always nagged you so much! I just wanted you to become the person that I knew you truly were—"

"So you wanted to change me, is that it?" he asked viciously. 

"NO!!" Hermione screamed. Her hair was falling out of her ponytail as she shook with fury. She was standing now and her eyes were alight with a fury that Ron had only seen twice before; once in his fourth year after the Yule Ball and in third when she had slapped Malfoy. Ron knew he had definitely crossed a line but by the look on Hermione's face, he was past any attempt at trying to make a quick amends and pass it off as residual effects from the night before.

She breathed in deeply before speaking, her voice low and dangerous. "You **do **deserve every bit of reprimanding and grief you go through after what you did. Excuse **me** for being worried about you and only wanting the best for you ever!" She took a shaky breath and looked back at him with an expression of deep hurt. "How could you _ever_ think that I thought you weren't good enough?! Haven't I always said just the opposite? Just because I wanted the best for you never meant that I wanted to change you, because if you had changed then I would never have fallen in love with you!!"

Hermione gasped and immediately clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide while Ron felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice down his throat. Her words had hit him like a ton of bricks and there he sat, staring wide eyed and open mouthed at her. Ron couldn't believe his ears. She had just said she'd loved him... 

__

_'Say something you idiot! NOW'S YOUR CHANCE!!'_

Ron blinked, opening and closing his mouth in a feeble attempt to speak. He wanted to say something, anything, just so that she knew that she didn't have to look so mortified because it was all right. He wanted to tell her that he had been waiting to hear her say that to him for three years and that he wanted, more than anything to tell her how he felt for her.

"Am I intairupting anyzing?"

Ron and Hermione both jumped as they turned towards the door. Standing there was Cecile, her gray eyes cautiously looking from Ron and then to Hermione as she tried to survey the situation she had just walked in on.

Both Ron and Hermione had been so shocked by the initial interruption that neither of them was able to speak. However, Hermione was able to regain her composure the quickest and spoke first. "No, you're not interrupting anything. We're done here."

"Oh, well it seems zat zair is some important news for ze both of you and I was told to come and get you—"

However, Cecile was cut short as Tony came storming into the room, his face drawn into a look of triumph as he clutched a piece of parchment in his hands. "Ron," he said, his voice loud and gruff, causing Ron to wince slightly, "I've got a note from Kingsley. It looks like they've caught someone."

_(A/N: Ooooh... nasty little cliffy I left for you all, now didn't I? Hopefully I didn't disappoint with the chapter and I promise the next few will come out sooner rather than later. Life got pretty hectic for a while since I was hosting company at my house for a while but I should be getting back on track with my writing and I've already started writing parts to some other chapters. Anyway, sorry again for the delay and please REVIEW. Even if you just say one word, that one word means more to me than seeing that over 400 have read my story. So just do it kids. -Jo)_


	11. Selfless, Cold, and Composed

** Chapter 11   
  
Selfless, Cold, and Composed**

****   
  
The corridors leading down to the interrogation rooms in the Ministry were certainly gloomy and foreboding. They seemed to be in the deepest part of the building where no sun would shine, even when it had been set by the maintenance wizards that took care of it. Not that Ron was complaining of course; his head still throbbed despite the tea Hermione had given him and the lack of sun seemed to make what could have been an unbearable walk, bearable.  
  
Even so, despite his discomfort, he knew better than to speak up about it and ask for Kingsley, Sean or Tony to slow down. Despite the fact that nothing had been mentioned about the night before, Ron could tell just by looking at both Tony and Kingsley that he was in hot water and the only reason why he was getting off easily now was because there were much more pressing matters at the moment.  
  
Harry had offered to stay behind to watch the house knowing that it would probably be better for all parties involved, (namely Ron and Hermione). In Ron's case however, neither situation was a comfortable one, but he was grateful to his friend for letting him go to the ministry to see the suspect. Harry knew that Ron still felt that he wasn't really helping with the investigation at all by playing babysitter to ickle Chrissy, but by getting to be one of the first Aurors in the interrogation room, he finally felt of use.  
  
Ron struggled to keep up with the Aurors but found that with every step he took, his body ached in protest. He still couldn't actually remember much of what had happened the night before, but even without the specific details, he knew all the same. At the thought of it, Ron's ears burned with shame and guilt. Inside his head, he could already hear his conscience, which happened to sound uncannily like Hermione, nagging him and telling him that he deserved everything he got and that he had no right to complain, and for the most part, he agreed. But then again, he did have at least a _little_ right to protest it, didn't he? True, he had been a bleeding idiot the night before but at the same time, it wasn't as if he had just decided, 'Oh! I think I'll get pissed out of my mind...' He had been under HUGE emotional duress and he didn't care what anyone else said; if it had been anyone else faced with the same sort of circumstances as he had, he (or she) would have been right next to him at that pub, drinking until he couldn't even remember his name as well.  
  
Kingsley, Sean, and Tony all came to a halt and Ron had to stop quickly to keep himself from running into Tony. As he gazed curiously at the three men, Ron watched as Kingsley walked ahead to a door, knocking on it three times. The door swung open and revealed a tall, burly man wearing plain black robes with a large crest on one of the breast pockets indicating that he was a policing wizard that handled criminals and suspects when they were brought into the ministry. Kingsley spoke to him quietly for a moment, and the tall man looked toward the three remaining Aurors. With a slight nod, he opened the door wide and motioned for them to enter.  
  
The room they entered into was large and dimly lit by enchanted torches that hung around the room. It had no windows or any sort of decoration; instead it was just four walls of gray concrete with two doors. There was another man in black policing robes who stood by another small door and nodded to the men as they walked in. Ron noted the small table in front of him with three chairs around it and glanced towards Tony for some sort of indication as to what to do. He wanted badly to sit and the chair looked so inviting, but as he watched the others he saw that none of them looked as if they were going to sit anytime soon and so, reluctantly, Ron stayed standing.  
  
"All right," Kingsley started. "Here's what's happening. The person in the next room is a man by the name of Timothy Jones. He was caught working as a spy at one of Christopher's factories in London and when he was searched, he was found to have some important business information regarding a new shipment coming in as well as a threatening letter written to Christopher and Hermione that looked ready to be sent to their home today."  
  
"What did the note say?" asked Sean curiously.  
  
"The usual," replied Kingsley coolly. "It was the typical format of the I.W.P. It threatened that shipments were going to be intercepted and that there would be employees killed if certain demands weren't met. However, in this one, they did seem to change things up a bit." Kingsley walked over to the table and set down a small pile of papers and files he had been carrying. Opening up one of the folders, he took out a piece of paper that seemed to be a copy of the letter that was found with Jones. Setting it down on the table, the four Aurors read its contents then looked back at Kingsley.  
  
"Looks like they're getting personal," Tony said heavily. "But this confirms it then. The I.W.P. was definitely involved with the fire at Hermione's flat."  
  
"That's what we think, yes."  
  
"What do you mean, that's what you think?" Ron spoke suddenly, his voice sharp and accusatory. "It says right bloody there that they did it! What's there to think about?" Ron's insides burned with rage as he stared back down at the parchment on the table.  
  
_Hope the Mudblood Princess is doing well. Keeping warm these days? If not, we could always light her another fire...  
  
Keep your eyes open Mudblood-lover because the minute you don't, your little whore of a girlfriend will be gone, as well as all your money._  
  
Ron shook slightly with unsuppressed fury as he gazed down at the letter. The rest of its contents seemed to fade into the distant background, leaving only the sentences regarding Hermione for him to read. _'When I get my hands on that tosser in there, I'll—'_  
  
"Ron," came Kingsley's strong, smooth voice, "it's not that we don't believe that they were responsible. In fact, it's quite the opposite. However, we still have to follow protocol and until we have undeniable, irrefutable evidence of their involvement, we can't do anything. For all we know, they might have heard about what happened at Hermione's flat and are just trying to taunt Hermione and Chris with it."  
  
Ron forced himself to breathe steadily, and as Kingsley spoke, he could feel his anger start to slowly subside. Sean then spoke up. "So then what are we going to do? How're we going to get this bloke to tell us what we want?"  
  
"Well, we can't all go in there at once, first of all. Tony, you and Ron will watch from out here first and I want you two to take note of what he says. Sometimes the most incriminating evidence can be the most casual remark. Sean and I will talk to him first, then we can trade; see if you two can get anything out of him instead. If it looks like he won't be talking, we'll call in for some Veritaserum but even that won't always get us what we want because for all we know, this is just some low level goon working for a nameless, faceless boss and then we won't gain much from him regardless of what we do."  
  
"But it's worth a shot anyway," said Tony determinedly.  
  
Kingsley nodded and turned back to the guard who was standing by the other, smaller door in the room. The gruff looking wizard nodded quickly then turned to the door, unlocking it with a complicated spell. Ron watched as Kingsley and Sean walked in through the door and found himself straining to try and look through the opening to get a glimpse of the suspect but the door closed quickly, leaving Ron and Tony standing there, watching the place where the other two Aurors had been just moments before. Ron looked over at Tony expectantly. Tony just nodded. "Just wait Ron. We'll be able to see in a moment..."  
  
Ron looked back at the door and then the long, concrete wall next to it. How the hell were he and Tony supposed to see anything if they couldn't be in the room? As if to answer his question, Ron watched in awe as the seemingly solid wall glowed a faint purple, then started to melt away revealing another, smaller room. The other room was all white with a small steel table and three matching chairs. Ron could see Kingsley and Sean already sitting in there as they spoke to each other in low, hushed voices.  
  
But wait... he could _hear_ them as well...  
  
"Bloody hell..." said Ron quietly as he walked slowly to where the wall was. Reaching out a hand tentatively, he placed it on the barrier and watched as a small ripple effect took place from the spot where his hand rested. Tony walked up next to him smiled knowingly. "Well, how else did you expect us to be able to watch what was going on in there?" Ron looked over at the older Auror and felt his ears go red. "The wall serves as a sort of window into the room. We can see and hear everything that goes on in there, but they can't see or hear us. That way the one they're questioning won't be too scared to talk and more people can try to gather as much information as possible."

Ron nodded slightly, still staring at the other room in amazement. Tony stood silently by his side observing the room in front of them. After a moment, Ron heard Tony clear his throat, as if readying himself to talk, and Ron braced himself inwardly.

_'Here it comes...'_

"Ron," Tony started, "about last night—"

"Look, I know that no matter what I say, I can't even start to really express just how truly sorry and ashamed I am. My actions were completely unprofessional and reckless and I understand if you and Kingsley both want to personally hex the hell out of me. I just want you to know that I am perfectly all right with it. I did grow up with my mum, so I'm used to it."

Tony looked at the young Auror for a moment, then started to laugh. Ron stared up at him in confusion, obviously not expecting this sort of reaction. However he felt himself start to relax slightly and laughed lightly.

"You really feel bad about it, don't you?" When Ron nodded, Tony chuckled again. "Well, you're right. What you did was irresponsible and daft, but I think you're off the hook this time. Kingsley and I came to the conclusion that there are definitely more important things at the moment to worry about. Even though what you did was wrong, we all have a feeling that you learned your lesson."

Waves of relief washed over Ron at Tony's words and he smiled gratefully. "Thanks Tony."

"Don't thank me. Thank Hermione. She's the one that talked to us and who took care of you last night. Didn't get a wink of sleep either. She simply refused to. We all tried to talk her into at least letting us trade off in shifts so that she could rest a bit, even Chris, but she flat out refused. She was worried sick when she saw you in the snow and she felt guilty because for some reason, she seemed to have gotten it into her head that your disappearance was her fault." Tony stopped for a moment and Ron looked away guiltily. "She really cares about you Ron. You're a lucky man to have such a great friend as her. Just make sure you don't forget your duties. She may be your friend, but we're there to do a job."  
  
Ron swallowed hard and nodded. How could he have treated Hermione so badly? She had not only taken care of him, sacrificing a whole night of sleep to do so, but she had even spoken with his boss and partner and probably saved him his job. And there he had sat, yelling at her and accusing her of trying to get him fired.  
  
_'You know, for someone who supposedly loves her, I really am doing a bang up job of showing it.'  
_  
Any other thoughts of Hermione however were cut short as Ron and Tony watched a man in grey robes was lead into the small interrogation room. He had long, black hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and his eyes were dark and piercing. He stared defiantly back at Kingsley and Sean who had stopped their own conversation and were now facing the man in front of them.  
  
"Here we go," said Tony.  
  
The man sat across the table, his expression one of disgust and resentment. He looked as if he didn't give a damn that he was being questioned about one of the biggest cases at the Ministry and was going to be anything but helpful and willing to give up any information. At the sight of him, Ron felt his blood start to boil again. So this was the man who had written the letter? _'Really is a slimy bastard, isn't he?'_ he thought to himself. _'God, what I'd give to just wipe that look off his face. I'd really show him for writing what he did about Hermione...'_  
  
Kingsley spoke first. "So Timothy. You know why you're here, don't you?" As Timothy said nothing, Kingsley pressed on. "You were found sneaking around one of the trading warehouses of Mr. Christopher Rhiney and when searched, you were found to be in possession of important information pertaining to Mr. Rhiney's business, am I right?"  
  
Again, they were met with silence. Kingsley sighed heavily, running a hand over his smooth head and Sean took over. "What about the letter? You were found with a letter addressed to Mr. Rhiney and his fiancée, Ms. Granger. Do you want to tell us anything about what was written in that letter?"  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Look, you can do this the easy way, or you can do it the hard way," said Kingsley, a definite edge creeping up into his voice as he spoke. "And if you choose the hard way, then we will just have to use other tactics to try and get you to talk."  
  
The man stared at Kingsley for a moment, then a small, wicked smirk spread across his pale lips. "Eat shit," he responded.  
  
There was a short, stunned silence after this statement, but Kingsley immediately recovered, his face revealing no emotion, as he stood up. "Very well. If that's how you're going to be..." he nodded to Sean who stood up as well. The two of them walked out of the interrogation room and back to where Ron and Tony stood watching. "It look's like this one's going to be a real pain in our arses. Our best bet it to just get some Veritaserum in him as soon as possible so we can get this done with. Sean, you stay and watch from out here. Tony, you and Ron go in there and see if you can get anything out of him. I'm going to go upstairs and get the potion. I'll be back soon." With a quick nod, he turned on his heel and headed out of the room.  
  
Ron turned to Tony expectantly and Tony looked back. "You ready then Rookie?"  
  
"You have no idea."  
  
As Ron walked into the room, Timothy looked up at them and Ron felt his rage flare up again. He sat directly across from him, his gaze never leaving the other man's face. They seemed to have some sort of competition going on to see who would look away first but Ron refused to let him win. _'All right you wanker, you want to play? Then let's go.'_  
  
"Not much of a talker, are you Mr. Jones?" said Tony coolly. Timothy finally tore his eyes away from Ron's and Ron smirked triumphantly. Timothy just stared disdainfully back at Tony, but kept his mouth shut.  
  
"I think he's scared," Ron said snidely.  
  
This seemed to get Jones' attention. The man brought his gaze back to Ron's but this time there seemed to be a look of amusement hidden in his leering features. "Scared of what? Scared of **you**?" He chuckled slightly. "You're just a kid."  
  
Tony stepped in. "Ron here is a fully qualified Auror who has trained hard for his job, as have I. So although you may not be scared, you should at least be wary. Besides, you are in no position to start any fights right now."  
  
However Jones didn't seem to be listening to a single word. Instead he seemed to be studying Ron intently. After a moment, a look of realization seemed to come across his dark features. "Wait. I know who you are. You're Ron Weasley, the son of the Minister, aren't you?" He nodded to himself and leaned back lazily in his chair, his expression smug. "Yeah, I know all about you. You're best mates with Harry Potter and helped him bring down You-Know-Who when you were seventeen with the help of that little Mudblood princess."  
  
"Yeah, what about it?" Ron asked, trying hard to stay cool.  
  
"Well everyone knows about the Golden Trio, now don't they? You three saved the world from death and destruction. And now look at you. Sitting here, trying to find a bunch of criminals who are trying to steal money from your precious Mudblood girlfriend and some rich pansy. But wait, she can't be your girlfriend now can she? She's with that Christopher Rhiney bloke now." An evil smile played wickedly across his lips as he spoke, his voice low and dangerous as he stared straight into Ron's eyes. "So how's it feel to know that some rich wanker's getting to shag your girl? Every night, he holds her close, running his hands all over her body, making her _scream_ out his name and beg for more..." He chuckled slightly. "You know, for a _filthy_ Mudblood whore, she—"  
  
But he never got to finish his sentence because Ron had thrown himself across the table in a blind rage. His wand forgotten, all Ron wanted was to inflict as much pain as possible. The two of them came crashing to the ground, and Ron sat up quickly, bringing his fist down hard and making contact with the side of Timothy's mouth. Blood instantly gushed from the gash that had formed there and at the sight of it, Ron felt immense pleasure. He brought his fist down again, this time hitting the man's nose and as a definite crunching noise was heard, along with a cry of pain from the man, Ron brought his hand up again to strike the man. However as he did so, he felt something pulling him roughly away from Timothy. Ron struggled hard against the men holding him back, still determined to break every bone in Timothy's body, but they held firm and refused to let him go.  
  
"You sick bastard!" he screamed, his eyes wild as he thrashed violently against Tony and one of the guards, trying desperately to get back at Timothy. Sean had helped the bleeding inmate up with the help of the other guard, who was now leading him back towards the door that he had come through. As he turned to leave, Timothy smiled back at Ron, despite his split lip and broken nose that was now gushing blood at an alarming rate, and said viciously, "You'd better watch that little slag because her days are numbered. And next time, she won't get off as easily and a little fire will be the least of her worries." Ron struggled even harder against the two men restraining him, grunting in frustration and anger as he did so while Timothy smiled nastily.  
  
"Get him out of here!" came the shouted order from Kingsley as he stood in the doorway. He had come back and seen most of what had happened and looked absolutely furious. He turned to Ron, Tony and the guard and shouted, "Go into the other room! Now!"  
  
Ron, who had stopped struggling once he had heard Kingsley's voice, stomped angrily into the other room. His face was red and he was breathing hard as he tried to steady himself. Oh, what he would have given to be able to beat that man into a bloody pulp! His fists throbbed dully and were bleeding slightly from having hit Timothy so hard but Ron didn't notice. All he was focused on was what that _scum_ had said to him.  
  
"What the hell happened in there? I was gone for no more than five minutes and this is what I come back to?" Kingsley's voice rang out into the silent room and cut through Ron's angry thoughts immediately. Ron could feel his anger recede as Kingsley spoke and it was quickly replaced with regret and embarrassment. He stared intently at the corner of the room, purposely avoiding Kingsley's angry gaze, knowing perfectly well that this whole lecture was aimed at him and his actions.  
  
"I can't believe the behavior that was exhibited in there! You are in the middle of one of the Ministry's biggest cases of the year and this is how you act? You lash out at suspects who throw out insults because they know how to hit below the belt? You are professionals and being so, I expect much better than what was shown in there." Ron swallowed hard and felt his ears redden as Kingsley's steely glare fell directly on him. He looked up sheepishly and met his gaze, a distinct shiver running down his back as he felt like someone had slipped an ice cube down his shirt.  
  
"Ron, I know what he said was not only rude but just down right disgusting and despicable. However, you are a fully qualified Auror who has had three years training to prepare yourself for this. Now, if you can't even keep your head when you are sent in to interrogate a suspect, then it forces me to reconsider my decision to put you on this case at all."  
  
Ron opened his mouth to protest, but Kingsley cut him off. "I know you've had a hard night, but that's no excuse for your behavior. I knew going into this that yours and Harry's emotional involvement in this particular case might pose a problem but I chose to give you the benefit of the doubt because, truth be told, you and Harry are two of the most experienced Aurors I have, even if you two are rookies. I see now however, that maybe I misjudged your abilities to put aside any personal feelings you may have. I understand that you and Hermione have a past, however deep that went I don't know, but my point is that I can understand that you would be completely justified in your feelings of anger when someone threatens her. In fact, if I were in your position, I would probably have wanted to do the same thing to him as you just did." He smiled briefly, then continued, "Still, whether your actions were justified or not, you are a professional and are not at liberty to express any personal feelings. If you do that, you make yourself vulnerable for attack from the other side."  
  
Ron tried hard to process all this information, but he couldn't seem to concentrate clearly. His head was buzzing with thoughts and emotions and his mouth was hot and dry. He swallowed hard, preparing himself for the obvious.  
  
"Ron, I want you to go back to Rhiney Manor and rest. You look like hell and you need to take a break. After you've rested properly, then you and I will continue our talk. But I think you need to go and sort out some of your priorities first before anything else can happen here. Tony will return in a bit but we still need to finish things up here."  
  
Ron nodded numbly. "Yes sir," he mumbled and turned towards the door leading out to the long corridor. He walked out the door, his head hanging heavily from his shoulders and slumped back towards the entrance to the Ministry, his face and insides burning with guilt and embarrassment. Once he had reached the doors, he pulled out his wand, and with a loud _crack!_, he had Apparated onto the back steps of Rhiney Manor.  
  
--------------  
  
Harry sat at the counter in the kitchen of Rhiney Manor, a steaming mug in hand. He watched as small wisps of heat escaped from the dark liquid in his glass, then rubbed his eyes wearily. Like everyone else, Harry had spent a good part of his night searching for Ron. When he had been found, Harry had then been busy trying to contact people to tell them that everything was all right and under control. He hadn't gotten much sleep and he could feel that it was definitely starting to catch up with him now as he sat studying his tea, but knew better than to fall asleep on the job. Even though Hermione and Chris were both full grown Wizards who were fully capable of protecting themselves, if the situation called for it, he knew what his job was.  
  
Plus, he wasn't about to fall asleep when a certain red head was sure to come back any moment after having talked to her mother.  
  
With a small smirk, Harry sipped his tea coolly and continued to let his mind wander. Although the night hadn't been a pleasant one towards the end, the beginning had been quite lovely. Images of Ginny wearing her gold robes came dancing into his mind, teasing him, and leaving him with a goofy grin as he pictured her smiling and laughing, her brown eyes sparkling playfully. She had looked stunning last night and even the thought of her seemed to spark the ever so familiar feeling of butterflies in the pit of his stomach that now seemed to be associated with the young witch.  
  
"What are you grinning about?"  
  
Harry looked up abruptly, his cheeks reddening slightly as he realized how funny he must have looked. "Nothing. Just thinking..."  
  
Ginny grinned and raised an eyebrow suspiciously as she sat down next to him. "Oh yeah? About what?"  
  
Harry smiled back, suddenly emboldened as he noted the playful look in her eyes. "Just about how beautiful you looked last night in your dress robes."  
  
Ginny laughed, her face flushing slightly. "Well, thank you Mr. Potter. And you didn't look too bad yourself. I've always loved green on you. It brings out your eyes." She stretched a hand up and pushed some of his hair off of his forehead.  
  
"Good to know," he responded, catching her hand and holding it in his as she brought it down from his face. They sat staring into one another's eyes, slowly getting lost, just like they always seemed to do anymore. Harry studied her face, how her smooth, creamy skin was just a bit rosy from both the cold and her fading blush. Little brown freckles sat scattered across her delicate features and even though he knew she had never liked them much, as Harry sat watching her, he couldn't help but find them endearing and beautiful. Her hair was still down and partially curled from the night before, even though it had started to revert back to its usual straight style. Tucking some of the coppery strands behind her ears, Harry let his hand rest on her cheek and he brushed his thumb over her freckles tenderly.  
  
"You know, I'm starting to wonder if keeping this a secret is really worth it." Ginny said despondently and Harry frowned slightly.  
  
"I know," he agreed. "I was starting to think that myself actually. Especially after last night and at Christmas." He smiled cheekily. "I hate not being able to ravish you in front of everyone."  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes and slapped him playfully on the arm. "Seriously though, Harry. I think maybe it would just be better to let everyone know. I mean, I hate feeling like I'm lying to everyone when I'm around you. And you know, you're right." She smiled. "It isn't fair that we should have to hide our affections for one another when we're with other people."  
  
"Well, why don't we worry about that later." Harry smiled and raised an eyebrow suggestively. "As for now, you and I are all alone with no one to bother us..."  
  
"And just what are you trying to suggest Mr. Potter?" Ginny asked playfully.  
  
"I'm not suggesting anything. I'm telling you that I want to kiss you, Ms. Weasley."  
  
Ginny smiled seductively. "Then what are you sitting here talking to me for?"  
  
Harry laughed, stroking her cheek tenderly with his thumb. Then slowly, he brought his head closer to hers. Ginny's eyes fluttered shut as she inched closer and finally, their lips brushed softly against one another's. Ginny sighed contentedly as Harry pressed his lips firmer onto hers. Their kisses were slow and lingering as they relished in the feelings and emotions shooting through them. Harry noted how Ginny still tasted faintly of mint and the way she would bite his lower lip slightly, sending chills rocketing up and down his spine. He kissed her harder, moving his lips against hers which she met with his same eagerness.  
  
Quickly, their kisses grew in their passion as Harry ran his hands through her fiery locks and Ginny played with the hair at the nape of his neck. They were so caught up in their own world that they didn't notice the loud crack that sounded outside the kitchen door leading in from the backyard. However, as a loud crashing noise came from the same spot, they flew apart quickly as if they had been burned.  
  
"What was that?" Ginny asked urgently, her eyes wide.  
  
"I don't know," Harry responded as he grabbed his wand and stood up from his stool. Ginny watched nervously as Harry walked towards the door, his wand out in front of him. "Stay there. If anything happens, get upstairs right away and get everyone out of the house. Understood?"  
  
Ginny, who was slightly taken aback at his sudden change in demeanor, only nodded slightly. Finally, Harry reached the door. He breathed in deeply, steadying his racing heart, and reached for the knob. However before he could turn it, he heard another small crash outside and someone swear under his breath. In an instant, Harry knew exactly who it was, and putting his wand back in his robes, opened the door to see a very disgruntled Ron standing outside, trying to disentangle himself from a bush.  
  
"Ron?" came Ginny's puzzled voice from inside the kitchen. Ron looked up at her, his face drawn into a scowl as he pushed past Harry and walked inside the kitchen. "Ron, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the Ministry right now?" Harry noticed that her cheeks were slightly red as she spoke to her brother, but Ron didn't seem to notice. Instead, Ron's scowl deepened.  
  
Harry caught on quickly that something had happened at the Ministry. He looked warily at his best friend. "What happened?"  
  
Ron just ignored him. "Where's Hermione?" he asked gruffly. Harry stared at Ron, noticing for the first time that his hands were slightly cut up as well as there being a small gash on his lower lip that was crusted with dried blood and there was a bruise forming under his left eye.  
  
"Ron what happened to you? You look like you've been in a fight," Ginny noted. Ron turned his gaze to her, seeing the worried look on her face, and shrugged.  
  
"It's nothing. I'm fine," he said curtly, regarding her briefly before turning to Harry again. "Where's Hermione?" he repeated.  
  
Harry shook his head slightly. "She's upstairs in her room, but you should really let her rest—"  
  
But Ron wasn't listening to him anymore. As soon as Harry had told him, Ron had turned on his heel and walked briskly out of the kitchen while Ginny and Harry both tried to call after him.  
  
_'They can yell after me all they want but I'm not stopping,'_ he thought crossly as he walked up the stairs. When he finally reached Hermione's door, he raised his hand to knock, but then faltered. She had been up all night and what if she was sleeping now? Did he really want to bother her?  
  
_'But I need to talk to her...'_ he thought desperately. _'All right. I'll just pop in quickly and see if she's awake. Then if she's not, I can just leave her be and come back later.'_ Feeling confident in his choice, Ron slowly turned the knob on her door and peered into the room.  
  
Inside was quiet and Ron made sure to not make too much noise, for fear that if Hermione was sleeping, he would wake her. Quietly, he crept inside, closing the door behind him, and looked over towards her neatly made bed.  
  
There, laying peacefully on her side was Hermione, her eyes shut and her breathing steady as a small book lay open at her side along with a small pair of reading glasses. Embarrassed at having disturbed her sleep, Ron turned around to leave but stopped as he heard a small sighing noise coming from behind him.  
  
He looked back to see Hermione shift slightly in her sleep so that she faced him. Her hair was out of its ponytail now and fell gently onto her face and lay fanned out on her pillow. The sunlight that came in from her balcony windows danced across her features and without thinking, Ron found himself walking towards her. She sighed again in her sleep and Ron sat beside her on the bed, watching her as she slept. Unconsciously, he reached up and tucked a stray curl behind her ear and felt a small fluttering sensation in the pit of his stomach as she smiled in her sleep.  
  
She was so beautiful, so perfect when she slept. As he watched her, Ron felt all his anger and confusion ebb away. Nothing else mattered anymore and what truly did became perfectly clear. This, being here with Hermione as she slept peacefully. This mattered. That she was safe and happy and out of harms way. That mattered. No one could hurt her as she slept. "And no one will ever hurt you Hermione. I swear I won't let anyone touch you."  
  
It was amazing how just sitting and watching her sleep seemed to make things so clear. True, he had been a prat before but now he realized that acting the way he had been wasn't getting him anywhere. He was alienating her when all he wanted was to prove his love for her. And by acting stupidly, he was also putting her at risk and Merlin knows that was the very last thing Ron ever wanted for her. She, just like Harry and himself, had already had her share of fear and pain to last a lifetime. The fact that they had all had to endure it so young was a fact that would haunt Ron for the rest of his life. However, as he sat watching Hermione breathing slowly and steadily, he swore to himself then and there that no matter what, he would do everything he could to make sure that Hermione would never have to endure any more pain or suffering ever again.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't take better care of you before," he whispered to her, stroking her hair lightly. "But now I realize what I have to do. I'm here to protect you and damnit, I'm going to do just that. If I really love you, then that's the least I can do." He smiled sadly as he gazed longingly down at her, then bending down slightly, he left a gentle, lingering kiss on her forehead. Carefully, he stood up off her bed and with one final look, he turned and started walking for the door.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
Ron froze. He turned his head slowly to gaze back at the spot where he had just previously been and was met with Hermione's deep, brown eyes gazing at him sleepily. "Ron? What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be at the Ministry?"  
  
Ron kicked himself mentally. _'Even when she's half asleep she's still on top of everything...'  
_  
"It's nothing to worry about Hermione. I finished up early is all. I just came in to check on you, but I didn't mean to wake you." He smiled in a feeble attempt to look truly happy but for the first time, seemed to notice the gash in his lip as a sharp pang resulted from his grin.  
  
Hermione seemed to notice too and sat up, fully awake now. "What happened to you?" she asked worriedly. "You look awful. How did you get all these marks?" She grabbed for his hand and brought him back on to the bed so she could better examine his wounds. Ron let her look willingly, knowing that trying to stop her would only result in yet another row and he much rather preferred her fussing over him than yelling at him.  
  
"It's just...well, erm, I sort of... got into a spat with the man they brought in. Honestly though Hermione, you should see him." He laughed, wincing at the slight pain he felt from his lip and bruise.  
  
Hermione only studied him more intently. "This doesn't look like nothing Ron," she said as she grabbed her wand from the bedside table and conjured up a small rag and a bowl full of warm water. Dipping the rag into the liquid, she gently held Ron's chin in her hand as she carefully pressed down on his gash. Ron tried hard not to wince as she started to clean his lip but found it to be much harder to do than he thought.  
  
"You don't have to do this Hermione. Haven't you taken care of me enough already?"  
  
She smiled. "Well you just seem to have a knack for getting yourself into situations where I need to take you afterwards." She was quiet a moment as she dabbed gingerly at his sore, her brows furrowed in concentration. "I can't believe you got into a fight with a suspect. I mean, honestly Ron, what were you thinking? Kingsley must have been furious."  
  
Ron nodded, his ears reddening slightly. "He was. He was absolutely furious. I...I don't know what came over me though. I just...well, let's just say the man will think twice before opening his mouth to say something about the people I care about again."  
  
Hermione stopped her cleaning for a moment and stared at Ron. "What did he say Ron? Was it about your family?"  
  
"Erm... no," Ron said uncomfortably, realizing he'd said too much. "It's nothing to worry about..."  
  
But she pressed on. "Was it about Harry? Did he threaten Harry?" she started to clean his lip again but this time, Ron tried to push her away.  
  
"Honestly Hermione, it's noth—"  
  
"He said something about me, didn't he?"  
  
Ron stopped and looked straight into her brown eyes. She didn't look angry or scared as she gazed back into his but resigned. Ron tried to think of something to say, an excuse or a lie so that he could deny it but as he looked into her eyes, he found himself nodding solemnly.  
  
She sighed, dipping the rag back into the water and bringing it up to his lip again. "Really Ron, I wish you wouldn't get yourself into trouble because of me. You were the same way at Hogwarts and look at how many detentions you got. I know that you were only trying to defend me, but you should know that I'm not worth losing your job over—"  
  
Ron grabbed her hand and held in his firmly as he gazed earnestly into her eyes. "Hermione. The man deserved it after what he said. Trust me." As Hermione looked back into his clear blue eyes, she saw that there was no point in pressing the issue and nodded.  
  
Ron, realizing that he was still holding her hand, dropped it immediately and felt his ears burn. "And Hermione?" he said. "You are worth it."  
  
She looked back up at him, her mouth open slightly. She closed it, then smiled softly at him. "Thank you," she said breathlessly. Placing the bowl and rag back on her bedside table, she then took her wand and pointed it at his hands. Tapping them lightly, they glowed slightly for a moment, then healed themselves.  
  
"Er...Hermione?" Ron started.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Well, erm, I'm sorry about being such a prat earlier. And for scaring you so badly last night. I was just in shock and I just...I needed to get away and figure a few things out," he finished lamely.  
  
She looked at him reproachfully. "Ron, drinking isn't going to solve any of your problems and you know that. In fact, it looks like it's just made everything worse." She sighed and stared down at her hands. "But I'm sorry if anything I said caused you to—"  
  
"No," he said quickly. "No, none of this was your fault. I was a git and made some very stupid decisions last night. I'm just sorry that I scared everyone else. Especially you." He looked up at her guiltily and noticed her cheeks grow a faint pink color. "Erm... I heard that you talked to Kingsley and Tony."  
  
Her cheeks reddened even more. "Oh yes, well I...erm... that is... I just..."  
  
Ron couldn't help but chuckle slightly at her embarrassment. "I don't deserve a friend like you Hermione. You know that right?"  
  
She looked at him, shocked. "How can you say that? Of course you do! Ron, you've been one of my best friends since I was eleven, let alone one of my only true friends that I've ever had my whole life. I trust you and, believe it or not, I need you just as much as you need me." She blushed again. "Sometimes I think that you're one of the only people I can trust."  
  
Now it was Ron's turn to look shocked. "Me? You mean, even after..." he trailed off slightly, his ears burning.  
  
"Yes. Even after that." Hermione tucked some hair behind her ears hastily and laughed bitterly. "I keep coming back to the one thing I need to walk away from..." Ron noticed the tears forming in her eyes and his heart gave an all too familiar pang of guilt.  
  
"Hermione, I've never been able to fully forgive myself for what I did that day," he blurted out. "I'm still shocked that you're even civil to me, let alone one of the most kind and caring friends I have. How I got so lucky, I'll never know, but I do know this. Hermione, I promise you that no matter what, I won't let anything happen to you. I know that that's my job and all, but I'm not just talking about the bloody I.W.P. or any of that. If anyone every hurts you again, I swear Hermione, I will personally make sure that they can never hurt you again, and that includes your new fiancée."  
  
Hermione looked slightly taken aback at this sudden outburst. "Chris would never hurt me. He loves me."  
  
Ron ignored the pang in his heart and pushed on. "I loved you too and I still hurt you." Ron watched as Hermione's eyes grew wide and filled again with tears. i'I'm probably hurting any chances of ever getting you to love me again Hermione, but I need you to know this.'/i  
  
"Ron," she said shakily, "I..."  
  
"Hermione, all I'm trying to say is that no matter what happens, no matter how things turn out between you and Chris or you and me, I will always be on your side. I will always be here to protect you and support you even if it kills me to watch you do whatever it is you want to do. That's why I accepted to being the one to give you away. I wasn't really sure at the time, but now I know. You mean too much to me to let you slip away again Hermione and I will do whatever it takes to prove my worth to you again."  
  
Hermione sat staring at Ron in shock. The tears that threatened to spill now fell freely from her eyes but she made no attempt to wipe them away. She was too busy looking into Ron's deep, blue eyes to care at all. She couldn't believe how much he had grown up and matured since they were seventeen and eighteen. It was, to say the very least, shocking to hear him say all of this and to learn that he still cared so deeply about her and had never been able to forgive himself for hurting her. But more than anything, it seemed to stir up all her old feelings and emotions that she had thought she had so successfully blocked from her heart and in an instant, they came flooding back into her, filling her up completely.  
  
Without a second thought, Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck tightly and kissed him soundly on the mouth.  
  
Ron faltered for a moment and it took him a moment to register the fact that Hermione was kissing him. Passion seemed to erupt instantly in him though as he brought his hands up to the back of her head and kissed her back feverishly. He hadn't expected this type of reaction from her, in fact, he would have never guessed it, but as soon as she had laid her lips on top of his, all rational though flew from his mind and all he cared about was kissing her back as forcefully and with as much passion as she had kissed him.  
  
They moved their mouths together quickly, their tongues brushing against one another's in a heated struggle to taste as much of the other as possible. Ron noted that she tasted sweet and slightly salty from her tears and that only spurred him on to kiss her even harder. All he wanted was to stop her hurt, to kiss away every tear she had ever shed for him or for anything or anyone else.  
  
Hermione's hands were tangled up in Ron's already messy hair and she moaned slightly as he kissed her deeply. Lord, how she'd missed his lips and the way his kisses seemed to invoke her deepest feelings of passion and desire she had. When she was with Ron, she felt alive and whole, something she hadn't felt for so long. Too long...  
  
She allowed him to push her back down onto her bed so that he lay on top of her, still continuing to kiss her. She sucked gently on his lower lip and he responded with a low, guttural sound from the back of his throat. Quickly, she undid the clasp on his Ministry robes and pushed them off his shoulders. Ron broke away for a moment, discarding the robes in an instant, then attacking her once again with his mouth.  
  
Ron couldn't believe that this was happening. She had kissed him and now here they were, sprawled out on her bed, kissing one another senseless and moving closer and closer to the point of no return. But _Merlin_ did it feel good to get lost in Hermione like how he used to when they were young. Her scent, her taste, her feel, everything was like a drug to him that he couldn't get enough of. He ran his hands down her body, gratefully taking in the way it curved and dipped wonderfully. Ron felt her shudder under his touch and her reaction emboldened him. Bringing his lips away from hers, he dipped his head down to her neck and nipped gently at her tender skin. Hermione gasped at the action but shivered again as he sucked and kissed her gently. She ran her hands down his back as he continued his ministrations and let herself fall deeper and deeper into this dreamland she was in.  
  
_Knock, knock, knock!  
_  
Ron's head flew up and his wide eyes met Hermione's. "Oh my God," she whispered.  
  
"Hermione, are you all right?"  
  
It was Chris.  
  
"Oh my GOD!!" Terror struck both Hermione and Ron so hard that they sat helpless for a moment, unsure of what to do. However, Hermione seemed to come to her senses quickly. With a strength she didn't even know she possessed, she pushed Ron off of her, causing him to fall back heavily on her bed. He grunted at the impact and Hermione looked at him wildly. "Oh God, what have I done?"  
  
_Knock, knock, knock!  
_  
"Love, are you in there?"  
  
"Just a minute!!" she called out desperately, trying to feign normalcy. She looked back at Ron, horrorstruck. "It's Chris! You have to get out of here!" she whispered urgently.  
  
"How?! He's standing right in front of the door!"  
  
"Well, then I don't know! Just... HIDE!" She grabbed his robes and threw them at him. He caught them and stood up, searching frantically for somewhere to hide.  
  
"Where should I go??" he asked, panicked.  
  
"Hermione, are you sure everything's all right in there?"  
  
"I'll be there in a second Chris!" She turned back to Ron, whispering quickly. "The closet! Get in there!"  
  
Before he could even protest, Hermione had thrown open the doors to her closet and pushed Ron rather forcefully inside. "Don't say a word. I'll be right back."  
  
Quickly, she smoothed out her hair and clothes, then walked up to the door, trying hard to stop from shaking. Ron peered through the small crack left open and watched as Hermione took a deep breath, then opened the door. There stood Chris, grinning broadly as he held out a tray of food for Hermione to take.  
  
"Lunch is served!" he said cheerfully as he walked into the room.  
  
Hermione put on a surprised look as she smiled back at Chris. "Wow, Chris, you really didn't have to—"  
  
"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to. Besides, what kind of husband would I be if I didn't take care of my wife?" He smiled again as he walked over to her bedside table to place the tray down. As he reached it, he stopped and turned to face Hermione, a peculiar look on his face. "What's this?" he asked.  
  
"What's what?" Hermione said quickly.  
  
He put the tray down and picked up the small bowl with the rag in it. Hermione stared warily at it. "This," said Chris simply. "Are you feeling all right?"  
  
Hermione shook her head vigorously. "Fine. I feel fine." As if to prove her point, she smiled widely at Chris. But Chris just stared harder at her and narrowed his eyes slightly. He put the bowl back and started walking towards her, his eyes fixed on one spot.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Sorry?" Hermione asked.  
  
"That mark. On your neck. It looks like a bruise of some sort."  
  
Hermione's eyes grew wide as Chris studied it and Ron could feel himself blanch. "Mark? On... on my neck?" Hermione said nervously bringing her hands up to shield her neck from view. Ron could see her desperately trying to come up with excuses and reasons as to how it got there. She was trying hard to stay calm about it, but as Ron watched her, he could see in her eyes her resolve starting to crumble slowly. Ron knew he had to do something. He had to help her. But what could he do? He turned around in the closet, desperate to try and find something, anything that could help and knocked his head on something hard. He swore under his breath then sobered up quickly as he saw Chris swing around to face the closet.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
Hermione tried to distract him. "What was what?"  
  
"I thought I heard a noise coming from your closet..." Chris took a step forward and Ron tried hard to shrink as far away from the door as possible.  
  
Hermione stepped in front of him though and stopped him. "NO! No, it was probably just Crookshanks, nothing to worry about." She smiled brightly and Chris gazed uncertainly from her to the closet. Finally, he looked back at her again and sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry love. I don't mean to be so jumpy. I guess it's just this whole capture of one of the members of the I.W.P. that's thrown me for a loop." He smiled and brought a hand to her cheek. "I suppose I should feel relived that there is just one less person out there that can hurt us now, but I can't help but feel a little more protective of you now that we're going to get married."  
  
Hermione shook her head. "Chris, you know I'm more than able to take care of myself. Besides, we do have Aurors living with us so we're more than safe here." She smiled consolingly. "I'm fine, honest I am. Don't waste your time worrying over me. You have more important things to worry about right now."  
  
Chris looked at her seriously. "You're the most important thing to me now, Hermione."  
  
She blushed. "Maybe so, but that doesn't mean I need to be watched twenty- four seven. I'm all right, I promise."  
  
Chris nodded. "I suppose you're right. Well, at least promise me that you'll eat a little and then get back to bed. You had a long night last night and you really need your rest."  
  
"I will."  
  
"Good." He turned toward the door and opened it. Before leaving, he looked back at Hermione. "I love you Hermione." She blanched and just nodded back at him, unable to form any words. Then he closed the door and Hermione instantly fell into a heap on her bed, her face buried into her pillow.  
  
Ron cautiously opened the closet door and walked out. He looked warily over to where Hermione lay unmoving and carefully came closer to her. "Hermione?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Just go Ron," came her muffled response. She looked up at him, her face filled with hurt and shame. "I'm so sorry for doing that. I'm so, so very sorry. I can't /i I just—"her voice cracked and she looked away, not wanting him to see her cry.  
  
Ron simply nodded, his heart and head throbbing painfully. He turned for the door and began to walk out. However, as he reached for the knob, he turned back to face her. "Hermione," he said unexpectedly. She looked up at him, and Ron became suddenly emboldened. "I'm not."  
  
She gazed at him, baffled. "What?" she asked breathlessly.  
  
He swallowed hard. "I'm not sorry." And with a final look, he turned and headed out of the room, leaving Hermione alone to let his words sink in completely.

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So, were you shocked? Trust me, I'm probably the most shocked of all because as I wrote the end of it, it started morphing into something completely different than what I had originally planned. Not that I'm not pleased with it. In fact, I think I like this ending much more than what I had originally planned.

Anyway, as always, review if you liked it. I always like reading your thoughts. Sometimes they make me laugh. Sometimes, I feel a little guilty. But they ALWAYS make me smile. Even if you hated the chapter, let me know! Go on. I dare you.

So, another quick note before I go. Next week, I am going on vacation to Mexico with my family and won't be returning until August 7th. Unfortunately, that means I won't have this next chapter out for quite a while but never fear! I promise to work hard on it before I leave and even while I'm gone. Hopefully, by the time I get home, it won't be too long after that I have another chapter up. Anyway, thanks for reading as always, review because I dared you too and adios!


	12. Lonely, Miserable People

**Chapter 12 **

**Lonely, Miserable People **

**_VvVvVvV_**

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****

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"Ginny? Did you try on the dress yet?"

Ginny Weasley stood in the small, cramped dressing room of a tacky Muggle wedding boutique, staring at herself in the mirror. The dress she had on really wasn't so bad itself. The cut was beautiful and she loved how it looked on her. Hermione had promised that no matter what, she would not make her bridesmaids wear ugly dresses, much to Ginny's relief. But the color...

_'Ugh, Hermione, you know how much I hate red. I always feel like a walking tomato.' _

She turned so she could see the other side and frowned slightly. It really wasn't a bad dress. And she knew that Hermione was only trying to match the dresses to the color Chris had picked out for the groomsmen's vests. But still, couldn't they have gone with a more flattering or neutral color?

"Gin? We're kind of waiting on you..."

Ginny sighed. "All right. I have it on. Shall I come out and prance around in front of everyone else out there?"

Hermione laughed. "Honestly Ginny, at least let me see it. Then I'll decide whether I even like it or not."

Ginny looked once more in the mirror, wrinkling her nose slightly then opened the door to the dressing room. Hermione looked up from the chair she was sitting in and studied Ginny intently. As she said nothing, Ginny could feel herself becoming more and more impatient. "Well?" she asked, her hands placed firmly on her hips.

Hermione bit her lip. "You know, I really love the dress. I do. And the red is such a pretty color..." at Ginny's incredulous look, Hermione clicked her tongue. "Honestly Gin, it's really not that bad a color on you."

"Yeah, if you like the tomato look," she muttered.

"Ginny—"

"I know, I know, it's not your fault Hermione and I'm sorry if I seem so childish about this." Ginny sighed. "I just, well, you know how I feel about wearing red and I still can't believe that Chris just went off and picked the vest color without asking you about it first—"

Hermione raised her hands to stop her and stood up. "Trust me. Chris and I had a _very_ long, er, discussion about that after I found out. But I think he was just so excited about it all and he just wants to be a part of the planning..." She walked up to Ginny and smiled. "You know, it really isn't a bad color on you. Besides, I've been working on Chris for a couple days now and I think I may have finally gotten him to change the color."

Ginny looked back at her hopefully. "Really? Merlin, I hope so. What color were you thinking?"

"Well I never wanted a really elaborate wedding like what Chris is planning, but I'm not complaining. However, I just want simple and elegant for everything, including the dresses but I don't know if Chris will go for it. He thinks simple means they'll be too plain but I keep trying to tell him that it's elegant." She sighed. "I guess I'm really starting to see how different we are... about some things," she added quickly.

Ginny noted the distant look in Hermione's eyes and stared at her curiously. However before she was able to ask her about it, Hermione had shaken her head slightly and smiled again. "Come on. Let's show everyone else."

Before she could even protest, Ginny felt herself being dragged out of the dressing rooms to the waiting area where the other women sat talking happily with one another. As Ginny entered, several women looked up and starting cooing. Ginny found herself trying hard not roll her eyes and noticed Hermione trying to disguise a small smirk behind her hand as she watched.

"It's a beautiful dress Hermione. You picked a really lovely cut," Mrs. Granger said as Ginny walked past her. "It looks wonderful on you Ginny."

"Thank you Mrs. Granger," Ginny smiled appreciatively.

"I like it too, Hermione," Laura added as she stood up with Charlotte gurgling happily in her arms. "It's definitely a dress that you could wear more than once." There was a murmur of agreement and light laughter from all the women in the room.

"So Tonks, what do you think? Do you like it?" Hermione asked the Auror as she stood leaning against the wall.

"I like the cut, like your mum said," she strained her eyes at Ginny for a moment then clicked her tongue. "But you know, with that red color I can't wear my hair in my trademark pink spikes."

Hermione's smile faded slightly as she looked apprehensively back at her. "Tonks, you weren't seriously thinking of leaving your hair pink, were you? I mean, couldn't you just put it to its normal color for once?"

"You mean putting it to my natural boring old black?" As Hermione continued to look at her with a worried expression, Tonks sighed. "Yeah, I suppose I could. It is your wedding after all and if I'm going to be a bridesmaid, I should listen to what the bride wants." She smiled at Hermione. "But you know, I still don't know about the color. Red's nice and all, but I don't know..."

Megan chimed in. "I was thinking the same thing actually. Not that you shouldn't have it any color you want, it is your wedding like Tonks said, and it's not that the red isn't pretty, but it's just that it seems so out of character for you. Maybe we could look at it in another color as well?"

"I know," Hermione said sorrowfully. "I never wanted the dresses to be red, but Chris already picked out the vests and we both agree that the groomsmen's vests and the bridesmaid's gowns should match and—"

As she gazed around at all the different women's faces, Hermione felt her resolve crumble. "Look, I'll talk to Chris about changing the vests to a different color. But for now, is it at least decided upon that we like this style dress, color aside?"

A chorus of "Yes," came from everyone and Ginny noticed Hermione look relieved.

"Hermione, sweetheart, why don't you start trying on some of your dresses so we can see them and we'll have the rest of the girls get measured for their gowns, all right?"

Hermione smiled and nodded. "Yes, okay. That sounds good. I'll be out in a minute."

Ginny noticed the troubled, distant look in Hermione's eyes. "Do you need any help?" she asked kindly.

"No, that's all right. You just finish getting measured and I'll go get changed."

Ginny nodded and walked up to one of the attendants to get properly measured. As she stood there while the other women all talking and laughing enthusiastically, she couldn't help but let her eyes wander over to the dressing rooms where Hermione had disappeared to. For weeks now, Hermione had seemed to be a walking zombie, plagued by stress from her work, her upcoming wedding and the whole situation with the I.W.P. However through it all, she had kept up her appearances not letting anyone, even Chris, see the stress get to her. Hermione had always been a strong woman and never gave up without a fight. But every so often, when she thought no one was watching her, you could see her staring off, her eyes distant; upset by something unknown to anyone else. Ginny had ideas as to what it was, (she wasn't training to be a psychologist for nothing) but she knew that Hermione wasn't just some gathering of facts all bound together in a nameless grouping of files that could be tacked with some easy diagnosis. She was a living, breathing, thinking, _feeling_ woman who was complicated and had so many things other than just the stress of a wedding or even slight cold-feet syndrome to be even considered as easy as that. In fact, to assume such a thing would be an insult to Hermione.

_'For three weeks,** three bloody weeks **now I've been trying to get her to talk to me about what's wrong. I don't care if it's about something stupid and absolutely absurd. Hermione shouldn't do this to herself. She's strong, but she's still only human.' _

"You're all done Ms. Weasley. You can go take off the dress now."

Ginny looked down to where the attendant had finished pinning the hem of her gown. She smiled and nodded and then Ginny gathered up the silky fabric in her hands, stating that she was going to go change back into her normal clothing. As soon as she had gotten to the doors of the dressing rooms, Ginny strained her neck to try and see if she could tell which stall Hermione was in.

However as she heard a slight sniffle come from the stall to her right, Ginny knew she exactly where to look.

"Hermione?" she asked carefully.

"Oh, Ginny! I didn't know anyone had come back in here." Her voice was falsely cheery as Ginny heard a rustling of fabric coming from behind the closed door. "So did you finish getting measured?"

"Yeah, I did. They really are lovely dresses Hermione. You did a wonderful job picking them out." There was a short silence and Ginny strained to try and hear if Hermione was still upset but was met with nothing. "So, did you try on a dress yet?"

Hermione was quiet a moment. "Yes, I did."

"Well can I see it?" Ginny asked with a slight giggle as she tried to lighten the mood.

"Oh, I don't know Gin... I mean, I just barely put it on and I've hardly had the time to even really look at myself in it yet—"

"Oh come off it Hermione. Open the door and then we'll both look at it together."

She was silent a moment and Ginny was just about to go grab her wand out of her purse, Muggles be damned, and unlock the door herself when she heard a small _click! _The door opened slowly and when it was open fully, Ginny felt her eyes widen and her jaw drop slightly.

There stood Hermione, wearing possibly one of the most amazing and elegant dresses Ginny had ever seen before in her life. It was strapless and made of a crisp, white satin that made Hermione's skin positively glow. The gown itself was a ballroom style, with a fitted bodice and a long, flowing bottom that gave the appearance that Hermione was floating. In the middle of her back, where the floaty material from the train all met sat an elegant clasp made of bright, shining crystals. There was embroidery on the top edge of the dress as well, winding gracefully across her chest and back. The dress hugged and curved perfectly with Hermione's feminine form and Ginny couldn't help but feel slightly envious of her friend.

"Wow. I—Hermione—that's—I mean—wow," Ginny fumbled for the right words to describe to Hermione how she looked but found it impossible to do.

Hermione looked at her sheepishly. "You like it?"

Ginny nodded, a smile on her face. "Hermione, you look absolutely gorgeous."

However, Hermione's reaction to this was not what Ginny had been hoping for as she looked into her friend's deep brown eyes and noticed for the first time that they were slightly red and puffy; she could see that something was clearly wrong. Hermione sniffled miserably and looked away as two small tears fell soundlessly from her face, landing softly on the smooth fabric of the gown.

"Oh no, Hermione. It's all right," Ginny said consolingly as she rushed forward, grabbing Hermione and gathering her into her arms. She hugged her tightly as the other woman wept pitifully into Ginny's shoulder, her body shuddering with each gasp of shaky breath she took.

She smoothed down Hermione's hair in a motherly fashion as she shushed her gently, however this only seemed to cause Hermione's tears come more forcefully. Ginny let her cry, knowing that it was better for her to get it out now than repress it even more. It was obvious by how hard Hermione's sobs were coming that she had been keeping this all pent up for a while now and it broke Ginny's heart to think of her friend suffering the way she had been for so long without telling anyone. She remained quiet and chose to wait instead of asking Hermione to admit to her what was wrong, yet Hermione, although still crying as hard as ever, seemed to need no prompting at all as her words came tumbling out in a painful rush.

"Oh Ginny! Everything is so wrong! Nothing is going the way I wanted it to and I just can't take it anymore! I'm supposed to be getting married in two and a half weeks and I don't know how I am supposed to get it all done by then! The only reason why I agreed to it was because Chris seemed so excited about it all and he just wanted to get it done with so we could start our life together but...oh I just need more time!!" She collapsed into another fit of sobs and Ginny couldn't help but smile slightly at her friend.

"Hermione, it may seem a little rushed but everything that needs to get done will get done. It'll be all right, really it will be."

This seemed only to upset her more. "No, Ginny, everything will not be all right. You don't understand!" She pulled roughly away from Ginny walking down the long hallway of dressing rooms to where a tall mirror stood at the end. She stopped in front of it, gazing at her reflection mournfully, still sniffling noisily as she spoke. "This isn't how it was supposed to be. I should be happy and giddy about all this, what with going shopping for all my wedding things and ordering the cake and the flowers. Oh, the flowers!" She broke down into another fit of hysterics and Ginny looked over at Hermione curiously, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Hermione, what's wrong with the flowers? Did you get the wrong ones or something?"

"That's just it!" she wailed. "They aren't the wrong ones because _Chris_ ordered them already! I mean, they are really lovely flowers and all but, I just..." she seemed to pause for a moment as she tried to find the right words to express what she was feeling at the moment. "It's just that Chris has practically taken over the entire wedding plans! I know that I usually don't care about silly things like this and in my head I keep telling myself that this is all just so silly and that I'm being absolutely ridiculous for agonizing over this the way that I am, but for the first time in my life Gin, something is going to be all about me."

She turned to face her friend, her eyes still glassy with tears but the look on her face was set. "When I was younger, I was so strict; a true perfectionist. I never wasted time with what I thought were petty and insignificant details like what clothing I had or how I wore my hair. For me, it was all a matter of practicality. As I got older, though that philosophy didn't change much, my perception of what was petty or not did. I didn't become like Lavender or Padma, goodness no. In fact, I still don't care too much for things like clothes or makeup or trying to attract men, but at the same time, sometimes I do get girlish tendencies and unlike when I was younger, I'm not embarrassed or ashamed of them. I rather enjoy going out every so often while wearing my best outfit and watching as people look at me as I pass. Or occasionally, I like to get a little bit dolled up with makeup and pretend that I'm going somewhere or I'm meeting someone special. In all, I've just basically loosened up." She sighed. "A lot, I will admit."

Ginny smiled, but still gazed at Hermione questioningly. "You're right, you have loosened up a lot since the first time I met you. But Hermione, what does this have to do with your flowers and your wedding?"

Hermione blushed and shook her head. "I suppose I'm making no sense at all, am I?" She took a deep breath in, closing her eyes and steadying herself as she did so. Her tears had finally stopped falling and when she opened her eyes, she looked drained and exhausted. "What I'm trying to say is that people don't give me enough credit. They always assume that I don't care about the more minute details like what color the vests are or which flowers are being used. But that's just it Gin. I do care, at least when it comes to this." She swiped at her cheeks quickly, attempting to dry them and compose herself. "Usually, I wouldn't bother with this sort of thing and I would be more than happy to let both my parents and Chris take over on the planning of the wedding, but I just can't stand it! This is _my_ wedding and I want to be allowed to choose what color the vests are or what types of flowers are used. Even as a small girl, I used to dream about what my wedding would be like. I used to plan the whole thing out, down to the very last detail and it was always so perfect; my true dream wedding. But now..." she faltered, turning so that she was gazing at the dress in the mirror again, "Now I feel like I have no control at all. Nothing is going the way that I would have ever wanted it to and I'm just starting to feel like I'm losing control...of everything."

Once again, as Ginny watched Hermione in the mirror she saw the distant look come up onto her delicate features. She walked towards her friend and finally stopped as she stood right behind her, bringing a comforting hand up to Hermione's shoulder. "Hermione, are we still talking about the wedding or is there something else that you haven't told me about?"

Ginny watched as Hermione brought her astonished gaze up to Ginny's in the mirror. Her eyes filled with tears again and slowly, she shook her head.

Ginny sighed. "I know you Hermione, and I know that if something isn't going the way you want it to, you won't just sit around and take it. But I've been watching you for almost a month now and I've watched as you've changed. You're quiet and reserved, hardly ever smiling and actually meaning it anymore. You're always running around and busying yourself with something, as if you were trying to distract yourself from what's been really bothering you." Ginny turned Hermione so that they faced one another and looked at her imploringly. "Hermione. I've known you for about ten years now and you've always been like a sister to me. I know when something is wrong with you and I know that although the wedding is part of it, there is something much bigger eating away at you right now. Please Hermione, what's wrong?"

Hermione was silent as she stared into Ginny's honest face. She was so loving, so caring towards Hermione that for a moment, she thought that it was Mrs. Weasley standing before her rather than one of her dearest friends.

Finally, she brought her gaze up to Ginny's brown, trusting eyes and with her heart beating painfully in her chest and her eyes brimming with unshed tears, she spoke softly, whispering, "I kissed your brother."

_**VvVvVvV**_

He yawned.

The room was silent except for the faint crackling of the fire and the slow, steady ticking of the grandfather clock on the other side of the room. Something large and furry brushed against his legs and instinctively he petted the orange Tabby on the head, causing it to purr appreciatively. However, he couldn't be bothered with any of this because at the moment Harry sat watching as yet again, Ron's knight came over and demolished one of his pieces from on the board. He sighed heavily. Playing chess against Ron never proved to be much of an ego booster but there really wasn't much else to do right then and as Harry glanced over at his red haired companion as he sat sullenly, his expression clearly bored, Harry had a feeling that the boost was defiantly going to a worthier candidate.

"Check," Ron said quietly, not even looking down at the board.

Check? How the bloody hell had that happened? _'Damnit Potter, pay attention! You can't let him win yet! Stop trying to figure out what's wrong with him and actually start to play a bit!' _

Harry sat up straighter in his chair, focusing intently on the game in front of him, but as he studied his pieces, he noticed that he was stuck no matter what he did. It was obvious that Ron had once again trounced him at another game of chess, and without even trying or caring as well. Harry ran a hand through his tousled hair. He looked over towards the fireplace in the study of Rhiney Manor to see if there was any flicker of movement behind it but found that once again, he was only staring into the bright, empty flames.

For the past hour and a half, he and Ron had been waiting for word from Tony about what was happening at the Ministry as they performed another round of questioning using Veritaserum on Timothy Jones. So far, the information they had garnered from him had been very vague and not much help to the investigation. It seemed as though Jones had some sort of blocker inside his mind so that he wouldn't reveal anything of great importance (if he even knew anything that is). However they had continued their questioning on him being that he was the only suspect that they had at the moment. So Ron and Harry sat patiently, waiting for word from the older Auror as to what they were able to learn with this round of interrogation.

Bringing his gaze back the board again, Harry watched as his pieces alternated between angry sneers at him and nervous glances at Ron's pieces who just smiled cockily in return. However, Harry couldn't be bothered with the pieces on the board and how they were acting at the moment because as he looked up again, he found Ron gazing longingly out the window at the dreary, wet day outside, his expression serious and grim.

"Ron? You all right?"

Ron looked back over at Harry, waiving his hand briefly. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Just thinking..."

Harry grinned playfully. "Well don't think too hard, wouldn't want you to hurt yourself now."

Ron smiled briefly before returning his gaze back to the window again, the same expression back on his face.

_'Bloody hell Ron, nothing can help, can it? Ginny, you definitely have it easier with Hermione...' _

Harry sighed louder this time, mainly out of frustration, gaining a curious glance from Ron. "Are _you_ all right, mate? You seem a bit frustrated."

"You have no idea," Harry muttered to himself. "Ron, I know something's wrong with you. In fact, everyone does. You've been sulking about, hardly talking to anyone and basically keeping to yourself for the past three weeks."

Ron looked away and Harry could feel his patience start to wear thin. "Look Ron. I know this has something to do with Hermione and her getting married to that Rhiney bloke, but that doesn't give you a reason to make everyone else miserable as well, especially not her. Do you know how hurt and unhappy she's been ever since the New Years party? She was in a right state after you got back from the Ministry and neither Ginny or I or anyone else has been able to get either of you to open up about what happened." Harry stopped a moment, speaking carefully. "Ron, I just don't want to see you or Hermione like this anymore. You two seemed to be getting along great and then something happened and now you two can barely even stand to be in the same room at the same time anymore! Just tell me this; is it all over the stupid proposal?"

Ron looked up quickly, his gaze cold and his voice low and dangerous. "Stupid proposal? Sorry, but I thought that when Chris proposed to Hermione, he was asking her if she would marry him. And I also thought that when she said yes, she was thereby swearing her love and life to him and only him for the rest of hers. I mean, I could have _sworn_ that Hermione had said yes and that now she is, as we speak, currently picking out the wedding gown that she will wear as I escort her down the aisle to meet with the man who has stolen from me the one thing that I care about more than anything in this world!" Ron stopped, his voice faltering for a moment. When he spoke again, it was no more than a tumultuous rumble. "I guess I was wrong. You're right Harry. It is nothing. Nothing at all."

Ron got up from the small table where they sat and walked over to one of the long window panels, resting his arms and head against the cool glass. He stared out at the falling rain, his gaze hard and cold. "I've gotten in way too deep Harry. I'm losing it. I've already lost her... and don't tell me I haven't." His head snapped angrily over to where Harry sat. "She's getting _married _. She's getting married and she's going to live with him here and they're going to have their perfect little family. Meanwhile I'm going to be all alone in my cold flat while Lisa tries to get me to shag her." He laughed bitterly. "You know she found me? That's why no one else could, because I was with her at her flat. I was pissed out of my mind of course; otherwise she would have never been able to get me to come with her."

Harry gazed hesitantly at his friend. "You didn't..."

"Shag her?" Harry nodded. "No, but I have to tell you, I came _this close_ to actually going through with it." Ron turned so now his back lay resting against the glass and he smiled acrimoniously. "It's funny though, you know? How this all worked out and all. I'm the reason that any of us are where we are, right now, today. I broke Hermione's heart which led her to meet her ickle Chrissy, who's being stalked by some psycho terrorist group, which led to us coming to try and keep him safe, thereby reuniting Hermione and I, which, was not a happy reunion either. Now she's getting married to him and I'm the one who's giving her away." He stopped, his gaze dropping down towards the ground while his eyes grew distant once again. "But the thing is, I've already given her away. I did that the day at the Burrow three years ago. It's just that now I want her back, and I can't have her because she belongs to someone else."

Harry stared at his friend as he stood solemnly against the window. The pain and guilt that he was feeling was so obviously written across his strong features that Harry could feel a pang himself as he related to what Ron was feeling. True, he had never had to endure anything like Ron was dealing with when it came to love, but he knew what it was like to feel as if the whole world was falling down around you and there was nothing you could do to stop it.

"Ron," Harry started cautiously. Ron looked up at his friend, his blue eyes dark and haunted. "What happened when you came back from the Ministry?"

Ron stared into Harry's eyes for a moment, seeming to decide on whether or not to talk at all. Harry watched and waited on baited breath as Ron pushed himself off of the window and walked over to the mantle of the fireplace, placing his hands on the dark wood and leaning against it. "We...talked," he said carefully.

Harry raised an eyebrow skeptically and Ron spoke again. "Before I left for the Ministry that day, when Hermione and I were talking, I sort of...accused her of wanting me to get fired and that she never thought I was good enough. I know, I'm a bleeding idiot," he added quickly as Harry opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. "I was just angry and hurt and I was taking it out on her because she was the easiest target. Plus, in some sick and twisted sort of way, I wanted to hurt her for saying yes to him. I wanted her to know just how much she had hurt me so I acted like a prat. But then before I could apologize that ruddy maid came in and then Tony came running in afterwards to tell me that we had to get to the Ministry because they were bringing in that scum, Jones."

"But that's not why things are so bad, is it?" Harry asked wisely. "Because when you came back from the Ministry, you ran straight up to Hermione's room, practically scaring your sister and me to death, and went to talk to her."

Ron straightened and began pacing. "It was all because of that damned Jones. I knew I had to apologize to her anyway, but after talking to him, I wanted to see her. I needed to see that she was all right." He ran a shaky hand through his hair as he continued to pace, obviously reliving the events of that day carefully in his mind. "I went upstairs and she was asleep and she just looked so... perfect. All of the sudden all the anger and confusion I had been feeling left and I felt better, like everything was going to be all right. She woke up as I was leaving and saw my cuts and immediately started taking care of me again. And the thing is: she wasn't angry with me, even after all I had done." Ron looked over at Harry, stopping in his pacing abruptly. "How is it that no matter how badly I hurt her, she still cares for me? I don't deserve it and yet she does it anyway. _Why?_"

Harry wasn't sure whether or not to answer, so instead he chose to remain silent as his friend pondered over this new revelation. Ron had resumed his pacing once again, and when he spoke, his tone was somber. "I told her I was sorry. For everything." He stared Harry straight in the eye. "I told her I was sorry I hurt her all those years ago and that even to this day, it still haunts me."

"You told her that?" Harry asked, obviously taken aback.

"Yeah. I told her that." Ron returned to the seat across from Harry, sitting so that he faced out towards the rest of the room, his arm resting on the table. "And I told her that I would always be there for her to support her, no matter what. I promised that no matter what happened, she was too important to let slip away again and that I would do whatever it took to prove myself to her."

Harry sat in disbelief. "And what did she say?"

Ron's face lit up suddenly with a ghost of a smile. "She didn't say anything."

He looked up at Harry.

"She kissed me."

_**VvVvVvV**_

Ginny sat next to Hermione, her mind buzzing with all its newly acquired information. Hermione sniffed pitifully next to her as she continued to cry into the handkerchief Ginny had lent her.

"So... you just kissed him? Just like that?" Ginny still couldn't believe the story, even though Hermione had told her every detail she could remember.

Hermione nodded as she sniffled.

"Wow," Ginny said slowly. "I just can't believe it. I mean...that's really..."

"Terrible!" Hermione wailed. A fresh wave of tears started streaming down her face and she buried her head into the soft material in her hands. Ginny rubbed her back soothingly.

"Hermione—"she started but then stopped, unsure of how to proceed. In all truthfulness, she was bursting with questions about what happened and how Hermione felt, as well as filled with the overwhelming urge to jump up and down with joy at the thought of Hermione and Ron finally starting to realize their feelings for one another again. However, judging from Hermione's obvious distress at the whole situation, Ginny felt it best to approach it carefully as to not upset her anymore. "When you kissed Ron, how did you feel?"

Hermione looked up at her friend in surprise, then sniffled. "I don't really know. I was just so confused." She blew her nose into the handkerchief, then continued on. "I felt like I wasn't myself anymore but rather some other person. It was like I was seventeen again and fresh out of Hogwarts without a care in the world." She hesitated slightly. "In that moment, everything that I know today melted away and it was just Ron and me sitting there on my bed and everything just fell into place perfectly like it always used to. And I just knew..." She closed her eyes, her face mirroring her internal conflict. "It just... felt right to be kissing him again. All at once, I felt this indescribable rush of emotions come over me and instead of trying to take into account everything that was happening, I threw all caution to the wind and let myself get caught up in it all. I felt safe and happy and exhilarated all at the same time. I've never felt that way with Chris before." She paused. "Well, no. I have felt that way once; right after the proposal. But with Ron, every time I used to be with him, even the slightest touch would send me into a tizzy."

Ginny couldn't help but look at Hermione incredulously. "So, if it was wonderful, and you felt things that you hadn't felt for so long and that you obviously missed, then what exactly is the problem?"

Hermione jerked her head towards Ginny angrily. "Don't you understand? I can't feel that way about Ron! I'm getting _married_! Chris is a wonderful man who loves me very much and I got over Ron a long time ago and I—"her voice cracked slightly and she looked away, embarrassed. "Ginny," she said quietly, "I cheated on him. I've cheated on Chris with Ron and now I can't even look at him without feeling guilty and now Ron won't speak to me. He's actually mad at me for all this!"

"He's mad at you for kissing him?" Ginny couldn't believe it. All Ron had wanted to do since he had been reunited with Hermione was grab her up and ravish her like a hungry, deprived wolf. The thought of him actually being angry at her for being the one to initiate the kiss just didn't make sense.

"No," Hermione said quietly, pulling Ginny from her thoughts. "He's not mad that I kissed him. He's mad that **I'm** mad I kissed him."

_**VvVvVvV**_

"So she kissed you?"

"Yeah."

"And now she regrets it?"

"Yeah."

"And you're mad because you don't regret it?"

"That seems about right."

"But did you tell her that?"

"I said it right out, 'I'm not sorry,' and then I left."

Harry rubbed his eyes wearily. "But have you talked to her about why you don't regret it? Have you told her how you feel about her yet?"

Ron looked sheepishly over towards where Harry sat.

Harry groaned.

"What happened?" he asked unenthusiastically.

_**VvVvVvV**_

'_Bugger. Just bugger it all.'_

_Ron lay on his bed, trying (but failing) to concentrate on the paperwork that sat in front of him. His head ached slightly, however whether it was from the Firewhiskey, the fight, or just the general overwhelming feeling of exhaustion that seemed to plague him, Ron couldn't be sure. 'Probably all three,' he thought glumly. But then again, there was still one thing that no matter how hard he tried, Ron just couldn't seem to get out of his head._

'_No,' he thought harshly. 'If I want to prove to Kingsley that I really want this job then I need to start acting like it. I can't worry about personal stuff right now.' And with another sigh, Ron turned his attention back to the small gathering of papers that lay before him._

'_But her lips were so soft and the way she kissed you... it was just like when you were younger...'_

"_Bloody hell, I'm never going to get anything done when all I can think about is her!" _

_Ron sat up angrily, picking up the small pile of papers and putting them on the bedside table. Running a hand through his messy hair, he sat back against the tall, oak headboard to his bed. This was getting ridiculous. He checked his watch and groaned. It was only just after nine and he still had to finish reading through these reports regarding the explosion at the Caver Warehouse from a while back. Ron was hoping to find out some information to see if there were any similarities to that fire and the one in Hermione's apartment. If there had been, then he could definitely use it as proof that the I.W.P. and that wanker Jones were involved with it. _

'_Christ, I can't stop thinking about her...'_

_He growled in frustration as he rolled off the bed and started pacing his room. Nothing had been said between the two of them since their kiss in her room earlier that day but it had been gnawing regardless. How could she be sorry? HOW? It was a brilliant kiss, one that Ron had been waiting for since the moment he had laid eyes on Hermione that first day here at Rhiney Manor. But she was **sorry**?_

"_That's it!" he yelled. And without a second thought, he stormed out of his room and up to the door of Hermione's._

_**VvVvVvV**_

"One minute I was standing in my room, just trying to change into my pajamas, and the next thing I know, your brother comes bursting in after just barely knocking and not giving me the chance to answer it!"

"Prat. So what happened?"

_**VvVvVvV**_

_Hermione got up from her bed, gently pulling her reading glasses off of her face as she did so. She checked her watch again. 9:15. It wasn't so late that she wanted to go to bed right away. Glancing back down at her book, she guessed that she could easily finish it and get to bed without it being too late by the time she was finished, but first she wanted to get comfy. She walked over to her large dresser and opened the top drawer, pulling out a pair of silky blue trousers and a short sleeved, button up silky top to match. Placing them on top of the dresser, she began to take off the little jewelry she was wearing but stopped as she noticed the small, gold chain that hung daintily around her neck. Staring fondly, she gently brought her hand up and fingered the chain, finally pulling out the small, heart shaped locket from the inside of her shirt. Hermione felt herself smile at the memory of Christmas Eve when Ron had given her the beautiful necklace. He had been so nervous but she had loved it and hadn't taken it off since then. _

_That time she had spent with the Weasley's at Christmas had been just as wonderful as Hermione could remember. They were always so kind and loving, treating her like one of their own, to which Hermione had no complaints of course. She had always considered Mrs. Weasley like her second mother and she loved her and Mr. Weasley, along with the rest of the family dearly. And when Harry had arrived, things just seemed to get better. She remembered the first night the three of them spent together at the Burrow when he arrived. Ginny stayed up with them for the most part as they shared stories of what they had been up to and reminisced at the past but eventually she had tired out too much and gone up to bed, leaving the three of them alone together; the first time they had all been together like that in over three years. Hermione smiled fondly at the memory of that night at the Burrow as well as Christmas Eve. It was the first time since her flat had burned down that Hermione had felt at home. And as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror now, noting the large bed and ornate furniture that adorned the room behind her, Hermione couldn't help but feel slightly homesick._

'_Oh honestly, get a hold of yourself Hermione,' her mind scolded. She shook her head slightly, letting go of the small necklace and turning back to her bed. Placing her pajamas on top, she proceeded to remove her warm jumper and shirt, folding them carefully as she put them on the bed. As she reached behind her back to unclasp her bra, she heard a slamming noise come from outside her room and then a thunderous pounding on her bedroom door. However, before she could even grab something to cover herself up, the door was flung open and in stormed a very disgruntled redhead._

_He didn't even notice Hermione's state of dress, (or rather, undress) as he quickly closed the door behind him. However, as he turned to face her again, his eyes went large and his face flared up to a dark shade of red. Hermione let out a mangled yelp, grabbing for the first thing she could reach on her bed which just happened to be a small pillow. _

_Holding it up in front of her chest she hissed, "Ron! What do you think you are doing?!?"_

_Ron stuttered. "Er... I – well, I just – wanted to talk to you...bloody hell..." He couldn't believe he'd just walked in to find her standing there like that. It was embarrassing to say the least, but then again..._

_Hermione noticed that he was still staring wide eyed at her and huffed indignantly. "Do-you-MIND?"_

_Ron flushed an even deeper red as he nodded. "Right, sorry." He turned around quickly so that his back now faced Hermione. Hermione clicked her tongue angrily and grabbed her shirt. Throwing it haphazardly over her head and tugging down on it, she then turned to face him again. Clearing her throat impatiently, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared icily at him._

"_So what is it Ron? Why did you feel the need to come bursting into my room without waiting to see if it was all right?"_

_Ron had seemed to have gained some sort of composure as he turned to face Hermione and stared back at her, his expression one of defiance even though his cheeks were still slightly pink. "I apologize for just bursting in without waiting, but I need to talk to you."_

_Hermione raised an eyebrow mordantly. "Oh really? Well then, what's so important that it obviously can't wait until tomorrow?" _

_Ron felt his anger start to rise slightly at her flippant attitude but as he spoke, he kept his voice even. "It's about what happened earlier."_

_Hermione paled slightly and Ron could see her angry demeanor falter. She held her head up in a dignified way though and said, "There's really nothing to say Ron. I already apologized for it—"_

"_That's the problem!" Ron cried. Hermione looked taken aback but said nothing. "You said you were sorry but I already told you I'm **not**." He took a step towards her and his tone softened as he spoke again. "So explain to me Hermione, just what're you sorry about? Are you sorry because you kissed me... or are you sorry because you enjoyed it?"_

_Hermione gaped at him, her mouth slightly open. But Ron spoke again, taking another step forward and boldly reaching out for her face, tucking a loose curl that had fallen from her ponytail behind her ear. "Tell me Hermione. What is it that you're so afraid of?"_

_Ron could feel her tremble slightly under his light touch and he couldn't help but smile triumphantly at her. He still had some power over her and he knew it. Maybe he did still have a chance after all..._

_But Hermione pushed away from him and walked over to stand in front of her dresser. "I'm sorry because I cheated on Chris. Chris is so wonderful and he loves me so much and the thought of what I did to him by kissing you makes me sick, Ron."_

_Ron's anger boiled savagely. "And how do you know he loves you so damn much Hermione? Why? Is it because he gives you expensive gifts to try and impress you and whispers little romantic clichés into your ears? Please, anyone can do that! If you say the right thing, the right way and at the right time, anyone will believe you."_

_Hermione glared back at him. "Oh, so now you're the expert when it comes to love, are you? Since when do you know anything about love, hmm? Was it when you bought me gifts to try and impress me or when you would whisper romantic clichés into my ears?" She laughed bitterly. "You, Ronald Weasley, know nothing about love, so don't you dare lecture me about it!"_

_Ron growled in frustration. "Yeah? Maybe I don't know anything about love, but as you so kindly pointed out, I obviously know how to fake it, don't I? And have you ever stopped to think that maybe that's all your little Chrissy is doing as well?"_

_Hermione stared at him, astonished by what he was saying. "How dare you say that about him! You don't even know him and just for the record Ron, his name is Christopher, NOT Chrissy, so don't call him that!"_

"_I seem to have a much better feel for him than you do! You're falling for him so easily that it's disgusting to watch really. The way you hang onto every word the man says, it's actually quite sad."_

"_I do NOT hang on every word he says and I most certainly did not fall for him easily! Chris was after me for months before I ever actually agreed to go on a date with him—"_

"_Oh, so now he's a stalker?"_

"_What are you on about? Chris never stalked me! He was just very sweet and caring and patient which is a whole lot more than I can say about you," she added nastily. "He was willing to take things slow with me because he knew that I was reluctant to start anything and he wanted to wait until I was comfortable."_

"_You think I really believe that you two took it slow? You've been with the man for six months and you're already living with him," Ron's face grew hard and he spat out viciously, "Don't think that having separate rooms is fooling anyone Hermione. He's a randy tosser, I can tell just by looking at him—"_

"_How dare you!!" Hermione screeched at him. Her face was flushed and her body shook with rage. "How dare you suggest that I would ever... that we..." she screamed in frustration and covered her face with her hands. She looked back up at him, staring daggers. "Not that this is ANY of your business at all, but just so you know, Chris was and still is fine with waiting. I told him long before we even started dating seriously that I wasn't ready to go back to that point in a relationship yet because I had let my emotions get the best of me once and I just got hurt and that I just wasn't ready to risk that happening again. Oh, and by the way," she said coldly, her vision clouding slightly as a thin film of tears formed, "**you** were my first and only. I've never even considered being...being intimate with anyone else. Not until now at least."_

_Hermione looked away quickly to hide the forming tears while Ron stood speechless, just staring crossly back at her. He couldn't help but feel relieved, even giddy, at the thought of Hermione only wanting him, of knowing that he was the only person she had ever wanted to be with and that she had even made her ickle Chrissy wait as well._

_They stood in silence, Ron still reeling from Hermione's confession while she composed herself._

"_You can't marry him," Ron said suddenly. _

_Hermione's head shot up and she stared at him bewilderedly._

"_What?"_

"_You can't marry him..." said Ron again, this time a little less sure of himself. _

'_What are you saying?!?' his mind screeched at him. _

"_You can't marry him because...of..."_

"_Of what?" Hermione asked quietly. Her eyes gleamed with unshed tears and Ron almost thought he could see the tiniest glimmer of hope behind them._

"_Because of...his...name," he finished lamely. _

'_You really are a prat, you know that?'_

"_His name? His **name**?" Hermione scoffed._

_Ron straightened up importantly and went on. "Yeah, you heard me. His name." As Hermione continued to scoff at him, he said angrily, "Think about it! Do you really think you can live the rest of your life as Mrs. Hermione **Rhiney**?That's just wrong Hermione, to have to go around and introduce yourself to people like that. 'Oh yes, hello. It's wonderful to meet you! Yes, I'm Mrs. Hermione **Rhiney**!' "_

_Ron smirked as Hermione stood there, her smug look beginning to fade. It was instead replaced with one of slight dread as Ron's words began to sink in and she imagined herself in the future, meeting people and doing exactly as Ron was saying she would do._

_She was silent a moment, then brought her gaze back up to Ron and said haughtily, "Well then, I don't have to change my name. I can keep Granger if I want to."_

_It was as if someone had slapped the smirk right off his face and this time, it was Hermione's turn to smile triumphantly. But Ron wasn't going to give up that easily._

"_What makes you think that he'll be all right with that?"_

"_Because he loves me and it's only a name! It's not that big a deal!"_

"_But it IS a big deal! _

"_Oh really? Care to explain exactly why it's such a big deal then?"_

"_Because...it erm... proves that... you er — love each other," Ron spluttered. Even as he said it, he knew it was dumb, but he refused to let her see that._

"_Ron, you know as well as I do that my name does not prove how much I love someone and to say something like that is just utterly ridiculous! Honestly, why do you dislike Chris so much? What has he done to you other than been kind and gracious?"_

"_It's not about me, Hermione, it's about you!"_

"_Then what, exactly, has Christopher done to me that was so horrible?"_

"_He doesn't deserve you Hermione! He never has and never will be able to love you the way—"Ron stopped, his insides burning with the desire to go on, to say all the things he had wanted to say to her for so long. _

_Hermione stared at him hard, her expression angry and yet she was desperate to hear him finish his sentence. "The way what Ron?" she asked._

"_The way... you really deserve. No man will ever be good enough for you."_

_Hermione looked slightly let down by his words, but it was only for an instant as her anger surfaced again. "You're unbelievable, you know that Ron? Absolutely mind boggling."_

_Now it was Ron's turn to look confused. "What are you on about?"_

_She turned on him, suddenly shouting, "You have no idea what I want or need! In fact, this isn't about me or Chris anymore, it's all about you! It's always been about you Ron! You're just so lonely and miserable that you can't let anyone else be happy!"_

"_I'm lonely and miserable? What about you?" he yelled back at her, his fists clenched tightly._

"_What about me?" she screamed back._

"_You claim to be happy because Chris loves you so bloody much, but if you're so damn happy then why the hell did you kiss me?!?"_

_Hermione blanched. Her eyes filled with tears again and she stared at Ron. But before she could say anything, Ron spoke again. "Forget it," he hissed, his voice low and hurt. "I don't even care anymore Hermione. I shouldn't have even come in here. It's obvious that the kiss was nothing and you're right; it was a mistake. I just didn't realize how big of one it really was."_

_Ron turned and walked towards the door, his body shaking with rage and his throat tight as he savagely pushed down the oncoming tears. As he opened the door roughly and walked out and into his own room, Ron could hear a strangled sob come from behind him. However, he kept walking, trying hard to ignore the persistent ache he felt in his chest as he breathed._

_**VvVvVvV**_

"Hermione, did you choose a dress?" Mrs. Granger poked her head around the corner to the dressing rooms and smiled warmly.

Ginny walked quickly out of the stall where she and Hermione had been sitting and smiled warmly. "Yes, she'll be out in just a moment Mrs. Granger."

"Good," she said happily. "We were starting to get a bit worried that something had happened to you two!"

"I'll be out in a moment Mum," came Hermione's muffled voice from behind the door.

"All right, dear."

Mrs. Granger went back out into the waiting area where the other women were still talking happily with one another. Ginny turned back towards the door to the small dressing room Hermione was still standing in.

"Hermione?"

The door opened and Hermione walked out, her head held high. "I'm fine Gin. Let's just get this over with and get back home." She smiled halfheartedly and with a sturdy nod, marched out of the dressing room and into the waiting area where the room was instantly filled with the sound of coos at the sight of the dress.

_**VvVvVvV**_

Harry and Ron sat in relative silence, both caught up in their own thoughts.

The fireplace roared and suddenly the form of Tony DeVerza stood in front of them both, dusting off the ash from his Ministry robes. He smiled up at them, but at the look on both their faces, it faded slightly.

"What's wrong with you two? You look like somebody just died."

Harry shook his head, but Ron spoke up. "Nothing. Harry's just sore I beat him at chess again." He gave Harry a meaningful look, and Harry nodded.

"I don't know why I even try. He always beats me."

Tony looked at the skeptically, but decided to let it go. "So, I suppose you're wondering about what happened at the Ministry?" He sat down on the couch and Harry and Ron walked over to join him in the two chairs next to him.

"Any new information?" asked Harry.

"Not a whole lot, but Kingsley keeps saying we have to be patient about it all. If you ask me, I think we're just wasting our time on this one. He's nothing more than a low ranking errand boy made to do the dirty work." He sighed heavily. "We keep trying to break him easily with the Veritaserum. It seems he has some sort of resistance to the potion."

The two young Aurors exchanged a confused look. "How is that possible? Veritaserum's supposed to be foolproof. Very few wizards have ever been able to fight it and even those who have had been trained for years and were extremely powerful."

"Well, it's not so much that he's able to fight it off really. It's more like he's able to evade the questions more easily by only giving us partial or coded information. It seems that everything he's been told so far when it comes to future plans and attacks have all been given in some sort of code. So now it's up to us to decipher what exactly all of it means."

"Lovely," Ron grumbled. "What's he said so far?"

Tony pulled out a file from the inside of his robes and handed it off to Harry, who looked through it and then handed it to Ron to look at.

"Right now, it just sounds like some sort of children's rhyme."

Ron read a piece of paper in the file out loud. "_'People will stare as they walk; head shrouded by clouds. Angel in disguise, soon heaven and hell will crash; all remaining mourn the loss. This thing more precious than a dark blue sapphire or diamond or any beautiful gem returns to the dark stone walls of the maid. There to rot or to be one with he who takes this angel of love.'_ Just what the hell is all of this?"

"That is what our friend Mr. Jones says every time we try to get him to tell us if he knows anything about any impending attacks."

"So that's the code we're supposed to be working out?" asked Harry.

Tony nodded.

"Bloody hell..."

"Sounds like he's talking about some sort of precious gem or something that they want to get..." Ron reread the passage again. "What's Kingsley say about all this?"

"He's not sure, but he agrees that there is the possibility that the I.W.P. are after some sort of precious gem. However, we aren't sure yet just what gem they're talking about, if that's what they're talking about at all, and even then, we have no way of locating it."

"Well, maybe that's why they're after Chris and Hermione," said Harry eagerly. "Maybe Chris has something they want and that's why they've been threatening him."

"It could be, but we still have to talk to the both of them about this first to know for sure." Tony sighed wearily as he turned to Ron, who was looking over the information in the file again. "So Ron, have you finished looking up that information about the Caver Warehouse fire yet?"

"Yeah, I did. And I did a bit of compare and contrast to the report about the fire at Hermione's flat and I think you'll be surprised at all the similarities I found between the two of them." Ron got up and walked over to the small chess table, pulling a manila folder off of it and handing it to Tony who looked at the contents with interest. "You remember how Kingsley said that they hadn't been able to find any real, concrete evidence to support the theory that the I.W.P. had been involved in the fire at her flat? Well, I decided to do a bit of research on my own and in that report, I think I may have figured it out."

Tony looked up at Ron, a stunned look on his face. "Ron, I think you may have just closed the case on the fire at Hermione's flat." He leafed through the papers and chuckled slightly to himself. "Good Lord, just wait 'till Kingsley sees this! It's very impressive, Ron. Of course, it will have to be checked over by Kingsley and a few of the Aurors set on the case, but you should feel very proud of the work you did here."

Ron's face lightened and he smiled brightly for the first time in weeks. "Thank you, Tony."

The sound of a door opening and slamming shut, accompanied by a sudden rush of loud and rowdy voices coming from the foyer interrupted the three men who sat in the Living Room. Harry smiled. "Sounds like the women are back from their shopping trip."

As if on cue, the double doors burst open and the noisy group of women, all laughing and talking at the same time, stood in the doorway. Ginny, her cheeks red from the wind outside and a large smile on her face, was the first to enter, but faltered as she noticed the three Aurors sitting there with somber looks on their faces.

"Oh dear, we didn't interrupt anything did we?" her gaze moved from Ron, to Tony, then resting finally, and she smiled sheepishly at him.

"No, no. We were just finishing up in here." Tony smiled warmly. "You all are welcome to take over the room." He stood up and turned to Harry and Ron. "I'm just going to send this and a note off to Kingsley. Good job again, Ron. You really worked hard and you should feel very proud of yourself." With a nod towards the boys, and a sweeping bow towards the women who all giggled appreciatively, Tony left the room and headed upstairs.

"Well, it looks like we're being kicked out of the room Ron," Harry said playfully and Ron smirked as Ginny came up behind him and smacked Harry on the back of the head.

"We are not kicking you out of the room. In fact, you're more than welcome to stay. We're all starving so Hermione went to ask Cook for something to eat. She should be back any moment. So how about it? Care to join us?"

Harry opened his mouth to speak but Ron beat him to it. "You go ahead and stay mate. I think I'm just going to go check up on Chris and then head upstairs for a bit to talk with Tony about some... things."

Laura laughed. "Ron Weasley not staying when there's going to be food? This must be a first!"

The other women laughed merrily but Harry and Ginny looked warily over towards Ron.

Ron shrugged. "I'm just not hungry right now, I guess."

"Oh please Ron! Stay! We all know that there is never a time you aren't hungry!" said Megan.

"Honestly, it's not like we're going to force you to endure hours of girl talk, we promise." Tonks laughed, and shook her head. "I don't think I could even stomach the thought."

Ron looked around at the group of women, his patience and resolve fading quickly. He had to think of a way to get out of this fast or else he would be stuck here listening to the women as they planned out the details to the wedding. And, more importantly, he would have to endure Merlin knows how long with Hermione only a few feet away.

"I don't know... I do have a lot of work to do—"

"Oh wait!" Ginny said suddenly. "Damn, I completely forgot. I promised Mum I would owl her as soon as I got back here from shopping. Ron, do you think you could go send one off to her for me?" She gave him a meaningful look and Ron smiled gratefully.

"Yeah, no problem." He headed towards the door, bidding farewells to all the women and Harry when Ginny ran to catch up with him.

"Here! I just want to tell you what to say!" she said rather loudly as she walked with him out of the room, closing the doors behind her. As soon as they had shut, she turned on Ron. "Look," she said seriously, her voice low and her arms crossed. "I know what happened between you and Hermione. She told me today."

"She told you?" Ron asked in amazement. He knew that Hermione had also refused to open up at all about what had happened that 'day' and to hear that she had finally cracked came somewhat as a shock.

"Yes, she told me. She was really upset by the whole thing too." Ginny looked at him reproachfully. "Ron, you can't keep her shut out like this. It's killing her."

Ron's indignation boiled. "It's killing her? What about me? It's not like this has been some sort of walk in the bloody park for me either!"

"I know that Ron, but put yourself in her shoes. She's feeling really guilty about the whole kiss fiasco and you being angry at her for it is not helping. She's not trying to hurt anyone Ron, even though it did hurt you. But you have to realize she doesn't know why you're angry at her and she won't know until you bloody _tell_ _her how you feel_!" She sighed heavily. "Ron. I know that you're reasons for feeling hurt are legitimate and trust me, I don't blame you for feeling the way you do, but at the same time you have to realize that this isn't Hermione's fault. The way she is reacting is natural but based on what she knows, you're behavior is just confusing and hurtful to her."

"Well then what do you suggest I do about it Gin? I can't just go tell her everything right now."

"Honestly Ron, use your head. You can avoid seeing her now but you can't avoid her forever. You're going to have to talk to her eventually, especially if you want to ever let her know how you feel. Maybe you think it's too late, but let me tell you now big bro, unrequited love haunts you. It never lets you go and if you don't tell her the truth before she gets married, you'll lose Hermione for good and probably never get the chance to tell her ever again. So my advice is this: tell her. You owe it to her and you owe it to yourself." She breathed in deeply. "Well, I'd better get back in there before they all attack poor Harry." She smiled as she looked up at him. "I love you, Ron."

Ron grinned faintly. "You too, Gin." Ginny gave him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek and turned back to the room, opening the large doors. The women and Harry were all laughing jovially at something Tonks had just said and Harry, who noticed Ron standing outside, gave him a silent nod. Ron gave him a nod back and closed the door behind Ginny.

With a large sigh, he turned to walk up to his room but was stopped as he instantly ran into someone trying to get past him and into the room. The other person fell back onto the ground with a loud 'thud!' and Ron embarrassedly hurried over to help them up.

"I'm so sorry about that," he said quickly as he reached out a hand towards the person on the ground, but then froze as he recognized who it was.

"Oh no, it's quite all right. I wasn't even looking..." Hermione's voice trailed off as she stared up at the handsome redhead standing over her, his hand frozen in place as he reached out to help her out.

The two were still as they stared at one another, unsure of what to do or say. The silence was deafening and Ron could feel his ears burning. Finally, he reached down again to help Hermione up again. Timidly, she took his hand and he pulled her gently up from the ground.

"Thank you," she said quietly, avoiding his gaze as she said it.

"No problem," he replied.

The two stood there again, neither saying a thing as they did so. Eventually Ron cleared his throat and spoke. "So...er... how was shopping?"

Hermione looked up at him curiously. "Fine..." she said slowly. "We picked out the bridesmaid's gowns and I tried on some wedding gowns as well."

"Anything you liked?"

"Some," she said simply. She was quiet a moment, then said, "I don't know what it is, but none of them feel right when I put them on. It's so odd too, because I like them all but I just...I don't feel right wearing them."

Ron watched her carefully as she nervously reached up and started playing with the small locket he had given her at Christmas. He smiled to himself, somewhat overjoyed to see that she was wearing the present he had given her and, as he looked closer, not the earrings that Chris had gotten her.

"Yes, well, I suppose I should let you get back to whatever it is you were doing. I'm sorry for running into you like that." She ducked her head and walked past him towards the door quickly.

"Hermione?" he called after her. She spun around quickly and gazed into his eyes. Ron gulped as he looked at her. She was truly beautiful with her soft curls framing her face, and her cheeks slightly rosy from her fading blush and the cold outside.

"Is there something wrong, Ron?" she asked him, as he continued to stand there saying nothing.

"I—er—I just wanted to say that, well...er, I want you to know that it doesn't matter what you wear Hermione," he spit out finally. Hermione looked at him uncertainly and he continued on quickly. "You'll look beautiful, no matter what you wear. You always do."

Hermione's eyes got wide for a moment as her cheeks flushed again. She stared back at Ron in shock, then slowly, a small but beautiful smile crept up on her face. "Thank you, Ron."

Ron nodded, completely aware of the fact that his face was now the color of a ripe tomato and with a small, jerky nod, he turned and headed for the staircase, leaving Hermione to stare after, a ghost of a smile still on her lips as she touched the golden necklace she wore tenderly.

_**VvVvVvV**_

_And now the author, BellaMia, will astound you all with her uncanny haiku mastery._

_"I loved Mexico_

_Wish I could go back there now_

_Tanning in the sun"_

_"Glad to be home though_

_Good old San Francisco Bay_

_And my comfy bed"_

_"Sorry 'bout the wait_

_Hope you all aren't too mad_

_If you are, tell me!"_

_"Reviews are so sweet_

_Giggling like a little girl_

_Yay! for great reviews"_

_"To sum this all up_

_Leave a review for me please_

_Do it, and I'll stop....._

_....with the bad poetry._

_Haha... couldn't fit in that last bit, but I hope you liked it anyway. Now go my little ones! Go REVIEW!_


	13. Just Friends

**Chapter 13**

**Just Friends**

_'This is ridiculous.' _

__

There he stood, still wearing his Quidditch robes with his broom clutched firmly in his hand, soaking from head to foot, and freezing his arse off in the downpour of rain. And yet, none of that mattered. He no longer felt angry or bitter about his lousy practice anymore or his lousy life. His feelings of incompetence and worthlessness seemed to fall away with the rain as he stood there, watching her run across the pitch to meet him. Her hair was already soaked, as well as her uniform, and he could tell that her lips were slightly blue from the cold. A twinge of guilt flared up in the pit of his stomach as she stopped in front of him, her arms wrapped tightly around her sopping school robes as she tried to garner any bit of warmth that she could while her teeth chattered slightly.

"Ron, what on Earth are you doing? Are you insane!" she scolded him. Ron couldn't help but smile to himself as he watched her try to act indignant even though she was freezing to the bone.

However as she glared questioningly at him, he remembered he was supposed to be angry and decided to act just so. She shouldn't have followed him anyway; she was going to get sick for Merlin's sake. "I'm going for a walk, what does it look like I'm doing?" he snapped.

"In the middle of a storm?" she shouted. "You can't do that!"

"Oh yeah? If you don't like it so much Hermione, then you can go back inside. But, if you don't mind, _I'm_ going to continue on with my walk!"

With that, Ron turned on his heel and started walking away, only to hear Hermione call after him. "Ron! RON! Wait!"

She ran up ahead and stopped right in front of him. She was squinting slightly from the rain and her hair lay plastered to her head in small, withered curls. "I'm not letting you do this!" she cried. "I'm not letting you go off to sulk! It's just not right and you know it!"

Ron pushed his own drenched hair out of his face and stared down at her as she stood her hands placed firmly on her hips. "I'm not sulking Hermione! Now leave me alone!"

He tried to push past her, but she blocked him still, unwilling to let him pass. "Ron, you can't do this! You're going to get sick!"

"I'm not going to get sick! And if I do, I don't care!"

"But you should!"

"But I don't!" he yelled. "You're the one who should be inside! Look at you, you're lips are blue and you're shivering. Go inside the castle Hermione, and just leave me alone!"

Hermione cried out in frustration, burying her head in her hands. She looked back up at him angrily. "Don't push me away, Ron!" she yelled at him, her tone slightly desperate. "I can't stand it when Harry does it and if you do it to me too, I don't think I'll be able to bear it!" She looked at him pleadingly and Ron felt his anger start to melt. "I care too much about you Ron to let you just walk away! You mean too much to me!" Her expression softened as he noticed her eyes start to fill with tears.

Ron stared down at her, slightly frightened. Was he really upsetting her this much? The thought only seemed to be confirmed as Hermione looked away, whimpering slightly. Ron looked at her worriedly. "I'm not trying to push you away Hermione," he said softly. "I just need... to think... about a lot of things."

She looked back up at him, her eyes wide and questioning. "What things?"

_'Bloody hell...' _

__

"Hermione..." he whined.

"I'm just concerned Ron," she said, exasperatedly. "You were so angry after practice and when you didn't come inside after it started to rain, I got worried. Harry went to go look for you in the kitchens, but I passed by here and saw you walking so I came running out to find you. Isn't that worth at least knowing why I came out here, without a coat, to freeze?"

He stared down at her for a moment, studying her expression. She was worried, that much was obvious, but she also seemed frightened. But what was she so scared of?

"Hermione, you just need to understand that I don't want to talk about it now. Please, just go back inside and don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"I'm not going in without you, Ron," she said bossily.

"Damnit Hermione!" he exploded. All his frustrations and guilt that had been building up and gnawing at him for so long seemed to spill out as he yelled. "You want to know so bloody much?? I'm sick and bloody tired of being second best at everything! I'm never the best at school, or at Defense against the Dark Arts, I'm rotten at Quidditch, I'm dirt poor, I'm thick headed, stubborn, I've got a mean temper and I can't even begin to live up to the standards that my other brothers set in my family! Even bloody Fred and George are successful! Nothing I do will ever be good enough because I'll never be good enough! I'm nothing Hermione, and I can't take it!!"

The rain fell down harder than ever now, the skies above darkening even more while in the distance, a bolt of lightening shone brightly against the black sky while a loud crack of thunder could be heard soon after. Ron and Hermione stood in silence, both oblivious to the rain and the bitter cold that chilled to the bone as they stared at one another. Ron could feel his ears grow red as his anger settled back into the pit of his stomach and he looked uneasily down at Hermione. However, she just stood there, her expression unreadable. Then without warning, she brought her trembling hands up to his face and cupped it gently, gazing seriously into his blue eyes. She took a deep breath.

"How could you ever think you were so worthless when you mean everything to me?"

Ron's eyes went wide and he felt frozen to the spot, unable to move or think properly as another bolt of lightening and crash of thunder was heard in the background. He watched as Hermione looked down briefly, then gazed timidly up at him again, her eyes glistening with tears. As one rolled soundlessly down her face, something inside Ron clicked and without another thought, he grabbed Hermione around the waist and reached for the back of her head, bringing her face to his and kissed her tenderly.

Instantly his body warmed and they stood like that for a while. As he eventually pulled away, his eyes still closed, he could feel his lips tingling from the contact. However, when he slowly opened his eyes, he found himself in a much different place than before.

He was no longer outside in the rain with Hermione but now in a dark, damp stone room. He fumbled for his wand in his pockets and after muttering, "_Lumos_, " he tried to study his surroundings.

The room he was in was huge with great big pillars that reached from the floor to the high ceiling. There were several tunnel-like corridors that led out of the room, each pitch black and foreboding. Every so often, Ron could hear a loud bang coming from down one of the hallways or the sound of footsteps coming quickly, then stopping soon after. Ron licked his lips but was shocked to taste blood as he did so. He touched them gently with his hand and when he pulled away from his face, he saw the dark red stain of blood on his fingertips. Suddenly, every part of his body seemed to ache and as he glanced down, he saw his school robes were ripped and torn, stained with dirt, blood and sweat. He glanced around the room again and in an instant, knew exactly where he was.

"Ron!"

He swung around quickly, his wand outstretched and watched as Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Luna came running into the room, their eyes wide and their breathing heavy. Hermione looked up at him, relief written clearly across her scratched face. "Thank goodness we found you!"

Ron looked around at all of them, then felt fear creep up through him like devil's snare. "Where're the others? Where's Harry?" he asked anxiously.

"We lost them a while back," Ginny said, her face a ghostly white. "We tried to go back for them but then Bellatrix and some other Death Eaters came and stopped us."

Ron's fear multiplied. "We have to find them and get out of here," he said. He turned around desperately, his eyes scanning the room. "Which one do we take?" he asked as he looked from one tunnel to the next.

"They all look the same!" said Hermione, her voice slightly panicked.

"Let's just pick one and go," said Neville. "Come on, we can't all split up, so let's go through one that we think we looks right."

"I think I remember that one," said Luna, pointing to one of the archways.

"Let's go," said Ron quickly and grabbing Hermione's hand, Ron started towards the dark corridor. However, the instant sound of pounding footsteps from behind them caused them to falter slightly and as he looked back over his shoulder quickly, he saw three Death Eaters, led by Bellatrix Lestrange, come running into the room.

"There they are!" she screeched.

Instantly, there were flashes of light as curses were shot across the room, narrowly missing the group of teens as they spread out into the room, each diving out of the way as streams of curses flew by them. Ron dove behind one of the tall pillars, just narrowly escaping a jet of red sparks as it whizzed by his head and exploded against the wall behind him. Peering to the side, he saw Ginny and Neville trying to sit up as curses shot past them. Luna was peeking carefully out from behind her pillar while aiming her wand out, but as she opened her mouth to shout a spell, Ron watched as one of the Death Eaters noticed her from the side and raised his wand.

"_Stup—_"

"_REDUCTO_!" Neville shouted, his wand pointed at the pillar closest to the Death Eater. It exploded in his face, and with a cry of agony, he flew backwards, landing with a loud smackon the ground.

"Ron! Look out!" Ginny cried, and as Ron turned he saw another Death Eater raise his wand towards Ron.

"_EXPELLIARMUS!_" screamed Hermione from somewhere behind him and immediately the wand went flying out of the Death Eater's hand, landing in a dark corner of the room. Ron watched as the Death Eater scrambled over to where it lay and Ron pointed his wand at it.

"_Accio Wand!_" cried Ron. The wand came flying at him and he caught it deftly, immediately snapping it in two.

"You fools!" hollered Bellatrix. "KILL THEM!" With that, she let out a high pitched laugh and turned on Hermione. "_AVADA—_"

"NO!" Ron bellowed, launching himself at Bellatrix and knocking her to the ground. She shrieked at the impact as they fell to the ground and Ron could hear someone scream from behind him.

Suddenly, a pair of large hands had grabbed him by the back of his robes, choking him as he was picked up off the ground, and then flung across the room. Ron landed with a grunt as he hit a pillar hard causing a shock of pain to fly through him. He could see stars as he sat there, still dizzy from the impact. From the corner of his eye, he saw Ginny, Luna and Neville trying to battle the first Death Eater as he hid behind one of the other pillars but to his other side, he watched as Hermione dueled with Bellatrix, trying desperately to fight her off as she advanced quickly.

_'I have to help her,' _he thought frantically. Ron tried to stand, but his legs felt like jelly and couldn't support him as he got up, causing him to slump back down again. He still felt dizzy and slightly woozy from the impact but was determined to get up regardless.

"You think you can beat me you silly girl?" Bellatrix laughed at Hermione as she threw another curse.

Hermione dove behind one of the pillars as the curse flew right past her head and exploded against the wall. Bellatrix aimed her wand at the pillar, walking forward slowly. "It's a pity you're dear friend Mr. Potter can't be here to watch you die as I'm sure he would want to be. But then again, maybe I shall keep you alive long enough so that you can watch as we torture and then kill your sweet, little boyfriend over there as well as your friends!"

Hermione suddenly jumped out from behind the pillar again and pointed her wand directly at Bellatrix, screaming, "_STUPEFY!_"

Bellatrix, who was in mid-curse when she was hit, fell back hard, her expression one of surprise and shock.

"Ron!" cried Hermione as she hurried over towards where Ron still struggled to stand.

However before she could get close, the second Death Eater whose wand Ron had broken, beat her to him. Picking Ron up off the ground by his neck and choking him, he spoke angrily. "You broke my wand you little shit, and now, you're going to pay for it."

Ron watched as the man reached inside his robes and pulled out a long, lethal looking dagger. It gleamed devilishly as he pulled his arm back, readying himself to plunge it into Ron's stomach, but a loud scream caught Ron's attention and the next thing he knew, Hermione, wand forgotten, came running up towards them, pushing Ron with such force that he was knocked out of the man's grasp and to the ground just as the man brought his dagger down.

"NO!!!" Ron screamed as he watched in utter horror as the blade went straight into Hermione's stomach. She grunted as it pressed further inside of her, her eyes wide. The Death Eater pulled the dagger out quickly, causing Hermione to cry out in pain, and he walked backwards, going over to where Bellatrix lay, while letting Hermione fall to the ground.

Ron crawled quickly over to where Hermione lay, her robes already damp with her warm blood. Tears stung his eyes as he reached her, grabbing her up and holding her tenderly to him.

"Hermione! Hermione, please be okay!" Ron felt cold fear grip at his chest as he gazed into her eyes, the pain she was feeling so obviously etched into them as she looked back up at him. "SOMEONE GO GET HELP!" he screamed to the others, praying one of them would be able to run off and find someone to help.

He noticed the Death Eater grab for Bellatrix's wand and hatred like Ron had never felt before surged through him. Pointing his wand at the man, he bellowed, "_STUPEFY!!!_"

Caught totally unawares, the man flew backwards and smacked against a pillar, falling limply to the ground, motionless.

Ron turned back to Hermione as she coughed and spluttered, her hands reaching feebly for his. He grabbed them and held them tight, willing her to stay awake and to be all right. "Ron..." she rasped. "You have...have to help Harry. You have...to help him...beat...Voldemort."

Ron stared at her disbelievingly. "No, I'm staying with you! You need my help now!" He brushed her hair out of her face haphazardly and held her cheek in his hand. "Hermione, you have to stay with me now! Please, **don't close your eyes**! Come on love, I know you can do this for me!"

He watched as a faint smile played across her lips. "You're such...such a prat...you know that?" She coughed again, her face scrunched up in agony. "Harry needs you! Go! You're just...wasting time...sitting here with...with me..."

"Don't you dare say that!" he roared. "I am not letting you give up on me Hermione Jane Granger! Damnit, you're going to live!!" Quickly, and despite the pain searing through his own body, Ron pulled his robes up and over his head, and pressed them against the slice in Hermione's side. As he applied more pressure, Hermione gasped.

"I'm sorry..." she said softly.

He looked at her desperately. "Don't..."

"I'm sorry... I was so horrible...when we were little..." she continued on.

"Hermione, please—"

"And I'm...I'm sorry... if I...I always nagged...I just wanted...for you to do well." She took a low, shuddering breath as Ron continued to apply pressure to her wound in a desperate attempt to slow the bleeding.

"Stop it, Hermione. You'll be okay—"Ron's voice hitched as the fear in his chest gripped at him tighter and he tried hard to swallow.

"I'll always love you..." she whispered to him. "Always and forever..."

"NO! You are NOT saying goodbye, damnit!" Ron was quickly growing hysterical as he stroked her face tenderly, his other hand still pressing down on the cut. But Hermione's eyes were slowly starting to flutter shut and Ron could feel tears start streaming down his face. "HERMIONE! PLEASE! YOU HAVE TO STAY WITH ME! YOU CAN'T DIE! OH GOD, HERMIONE, PLEASE, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!" he cried harder, his body shuddering with each gasp of breath he took.

Looking at her pale, delicate features, he felt all hope leave him and he broke down into sobs, burying his face in the crook of her neck...

----------------

"Ron? Ron, are you all right?"

Ron sat up gasping for air, his face and robes soaked in sweat. Whipping his head around wildly, he tried to find Hermione. He had to wake her up; she was going to die if she didn't wake up. He had to find her and keep her safe and...

"Are you all right Ron?" He looked up and saw Tony standing in the doorway to his bedroom, a worried look on his face.

He glanced down at his bed, noticing for the first time that he was gripping the comforter in his hands tightly. Letting go, Ron released a long, steadying breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

_'It was just a dream,'_ he said to himself. '_Just memories...' _

__

Ron looked up at Tony who still gazed over at him from the door warily. He smiled sheepishly. "I guess I just dozed off for a bit. Er... what time is it?"

"It's 4:30. The guests should be arriving in about an hour so I thought I should come in and let you know." He looked at Ron apprehensively. "Are you sure you're feeling all right? You look a bit pale."

Ron nodded and gave a sheepish grin. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to take a shower and wake up is all."

Tony nodded, still looking at Ron skeptically, but finally turned and left, closing the door after him. Ron breathed out heavily, running a shaky hand through his hair. The picture of Hermione lying there, bleeding to death in his arms was still burning brightly in his mind as he got up off his bed and walked over towards the bathroom so he could shower. It had been so vivid and seemed so real...

__

_'That's because it was real. Hermione almost died because she was protecting you that night.'_

__

Ron shuddered at the memory. It had been the final battle for Voldemort as Harry had finally been able to defeat him but for Ron, the thing that would always stand out the most to him other than Voldemort being gone for good would always be Hermione; her cold, limp form in his arms as she bled from the wound that should have been his.

He shook his head as he reached for the knobs, turning them so that water started to pour out from the tap. There was no need to dwell on that memory now. Merlin knows that he had been haunted by that nightmare almost every night for a long time after Voldemort had been defeated and Hermione had gotten better. But the guilt that Ron had felt afterwards had taken its toll on him and he had vowed to himself that he would always keep Hermione safe, no matter what the cost.

Sighing, Ron pulled his robes off over his head and undressed completely. Stepping gingerly under the stream of steaming water, he let it cascade down his body, loosing up his tight muscles as it beat down in a rhythmic pattern. He rubbed his face blearily and grabbed the bar of soap so he could begin to wash. The stress of the upcoming wedding was starting to really affect everyone involved now and Ron, who had only just had his final fitting for his tux only yesterday before the practice run through at the church, was no exception. Everyday, he found himself being awoken early so that he could run out with either Chris or Hermione or both as they hurried from place to place checking and rechecking the many details of the wedding. Once they arrived back at Rhiney Manor, it would still be chaotic as Tony and Ron met with Kingsley as well as Harry and Sean to go over new clues and different reports that they were getting about the case. It seemed that the I.W.P. had been strangely quiet ever since the capture of Timothy Jones and the announcement of Hermione and Chris's engagement, a fact that did not sit well with anyone at the Ministry. Their silence only caused the Ministry to tighten up security for all of Chris's business deals, as well as Hermione's.

For security reasons, the wedding was to be a small affair, with a guest list that was just over fifty people. Chris hadn't been too pleased to hear that seeing as he was hoping for a grand wedding, but finally he relented, agreeing that it was better to be safe. Most of the list was made up of Hermione's guests which included her close family as well as the entire Weasley clan and a few close friends from Hogwarts. Chris had also invited a few people, however most of them were colleagues from work as well as Benson, Cook and Cecile. When he had been asked as to why they were all invited, Chris merely smiled and said, "I have no family since my parents died. These people however have been there for me for many years now and I love them dearly. It just wouldn't be the same without them there."

Ron scoffed at him._'He thinks he's so bloody wonderful and kind, doesn't he? Just because he's inviting the help... I bet he's only doing it because Hermione told him to.' _

As Ron finished washing his hair, he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. Grabbing a towel, he wrapped it around his waist and stood in front of the sink, peering into the mirror at himself. His usually fire-red hair was now a dark auburn and fell limply around his face. His eyes were tired and had small bags forming under them as well. Stress and a lack of sleep were not sitting well with Ron.

"I need a vacation," he muttered to himself as he turned back towards his bedroom to get changed.

Tonight was to be the rehearsal dinner for the wedding. It wouldn't be anything like the huge New Years Eve bash being that it was only the wedding parties as well as family who would be attending, yet the preparation that went into planning such a small event had been murder. Ron hated all of it however. Anything that reminded him of the wedding he was to be attending in only a matter of hours weighed heavily on him. Despite the fact that things between he and Hermione had gotten considerably better, they still had yet to talk to each other and work out what was really going on and Ron still harbored feelings of hurt towards the whole situation.

_'I just want to get this over with and go home.' _

__

Ron pulled on a pair of khaki trousers, a blue button up shirt, and a nice pair of black dress robes over. Glancing at his reflection in the mirror once more, he ran a hand through his still slightly damp hair and sighed. What did it matter anyway? It's not like he was trying to impress anyone...

A sudden knocking noise brought Ron back to his senses. As he walked to his door and opened it, he saw his little sister Ginny standing there wearing pretty pale pick cocktail dress. She smiled.

"So, are you done primping yet?" she asked playfully. She had her hands on her hips and her head cocked to the side as she looked up at him.

Ron grinned. "You know me too well. Oh yes, it just took me _hours _to get that 'I just jumped out of the shower and couldn't care less about what anyone thinks because I'm not really in the mood for it anyway,' look."

Ginny looked at him reproachfully. "Come on Ron. You need to cheer up. This is a party, remember?"

"It's a rehearsal dinner for a wedding, not a party and thank God for that too. I don't think I can survive anything like New Year's again."

Ginny laughed. "Still feeling the effects of your crazy night, I see?"

Ron sighed. "In more ways than you can imagine, Gin."

Ginny grabbed his hand and tugged at it, leading him downstairs. "Come on. The rest of the guests should be arriving in about twenty minutes or so and Harry and I promised to help with any last minute preparations so that Hermione could go get ready." Ginny laughed. "Honestly, the woman is mental. I mean, I love Hermione dearly, but you sure have odd taste big bro. She's really starting to crack under all the pressure and stress from the wedding. She almost threw a vase of flowers at Chris' head when she'd heard that he'd gotten French bread instead of Sourdough. Almost." She added as she noticed a small smile creep up on Ron's face.

"Too bad," said Ron quietly, as he continued to smirk at the picture of Chris, wide eyed as he tried to back away from Hermione who was advancing on him, holding a large vase menacingly over her head.

Downstairs, the smell of food came wafting out of the kitchen and Ron felt his mouth water immediately. Cook had been cooped up in the kitchen all day working furiously as he prepared for the meal that evening, only stopping occasionally to feed the rest of the household or to eat something himself. The man truly was the master when it came to multitasking. In fact, Ron could only think of one other person who probably beat out Cook when it came to cooking and multitasking and that would be his own mother.

"Look who finally decided to come grace us with his presence."

Ron turned to find Harry grinning at him. He wore his usual dark green robes and his hair was slightly tamer than usual; something, Ron could only assume, that was the result of Ginny's handiwork. Ron smiled back.

"You look nice mate, but aren't those the same robes you wore last time you went to a fancy party like this? Ministry must not be paying you very well Harry."

"Since when do you care about fashion?" Harry smacked Ron on the arm, his green eyes alive with energy. "So, you all right?"

He sighed. "As well as I can be. I swear, I almost wish that this damn wedding could be over and done with already just so I can get one night's worth of sleep."

"Well, it's only a couple more hours, so you won't have to worry about it for much longer."

Harry's demeanor changed to a more serious one as he leaned in closer to Ron. "Have you talked to Hermione yet?"

Ron sighed heavily and stared down at the ground. "What's the point Harry? The wedding's tomorrow and it's not like she's just going to up and leave Chris. Hermione wouldn't do that."

"You need to tell her because she has a right to know, that's why!" Harry stared at Ron angrily. "Ginny and I have been trying to get you to stop dodging it and just tell her but you keep finding new excuses to avoid it. But this is getting old Ron and you're out of time. Hermione is getting married tomorrow and then it will be too late. You'll never really get the chance to know what could have been; Hell, what _can_ be if you just bloody do something about it!"

Ron glared back defiantly. "_What can be_? Are you _mad_? What do you think she'll do? Honestly mate, it's not like Hermione's just going to run out on Chris the day before she's supposed to marry him. She'll do that just as soon as I snog Cecile—"

"Ron, stop joking around. This is serious. You need to tell her." Harry looked him dead in the eye. "Either you do it, or I will."

Ron paled.

"You...you wouldn't," he stumbled, his voice cracking slightly.

"I've kept the truth from Hermione for way too long and I can't stand to see this happen to the two of you. She has a right to know and if you won't tell her, then I will."

"Bloody hell..." Ron stared at his friend pleadingly, but Harry didn't budge. It was obvious how serious he was and finally Ron sighed angrily. "All right! All right!" Ron threw up his hands in defeat. "I'll bloody tell her..."

The corner of Harry's mouth twitched slightly and he patted Ron on the shoulder. "It's for your own good mate. Trust me."

----------------

The night was seemingly perfect so far. All the guests had arrived and were having a good time, the food was superb, and there seemed to be no surprises. Ron tried mainly to keep to himself, just wanting to be left alone and try not to panic at the thought of Harry spilling all his secrets to Hermione. However, try as he might, he found himself constantly pulled into different conversations. At one point, Ron even found himself in the middle of a conversation with Tonks, Megan and Laura all concerning the wedding; the very last thing he wanted to talk about.

"I don't blame Hermione at all for some of the plans for the wedding. I mean, Chris chose so much of it and didn't even ask her what she thought about it!" Megan rolled her eyes.

"Yes, well that's what happens when you let a man do a woman's job," added Laura. "When Bill and I got married, we had decided that we wanted a small ceremony anyway so planning out the details wasn't as important. But he still let me have most of the power when it came to decision making. He just knew that it meant more to me to get to choose the littler details."

"Well I don't know about all of you, but I'm still ticked about the damn bridesmaid dresses. At least none of you have to change your hair color."

"Honestly Tonks, you can change it back in a snap. Unfortunately poor Ginny can't." Megan sighed. "It's not even that the dress looks bad on her, it's just that particular shade of red just seems to scream 'look at me!!!' And on Ginny?" Megan shook her head pityingly, then turned to Ron. "Be glad you don't have to be a bridesmaid Ron and wear a dress!"

Ron shook his head slightly and stared dumbly around at the group. "Er... yes...?"

None of the women seemed to pay attention to him however as they moved on in their conversation. "I highly doubt that anyone will be looking at us, regardless the color of our dresses, when they see Hermione in hers." Laura smiled fondly.

Megan cooed. "Ooohh, yes! It really is the most beautiful dress ever."

"Like it was made just for her," Tonks added.

Ron looked confused. "What dress?"

Megan sighed exasperatedly. "Honestly Ron, her wedding gown! But you'll just have to wait until tomorrow to see what it looks like. It's the rules."

Ron couldn't have cared less about knowing what Hermione's dress looked like but before he could tell Megan that, Laura spoke to him.

"So are you up to the task tomorrow?"

"What task?"

"Well, you're walking her down the aisle tomorrow and that's a pretty big deal. How do you feel about it? Do you know what you're doing?"

Ron's stomach churned uncomfortably as he cleared his throat. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off as a strong hand clapped him on the shoulder.

"Please excuse me for interrupting your conversation, ladies."

Ron turned to see Christopher Rhiney smiling brightly at the group of women before him. He could distinctly hear a soft sighing noise coming from them, but Chris continued on. "I was wondering if I could steal Ron away for a moment? I need to talk to him about some last minute business."

Laura smiled warmly. "It's not a problem at all Chris. Is it about the wedding?"

Chris smiled even brighter, his eyes twinkling. "No, actually. It has to do with some shipments going from a warehouse in London to Maidstone; It'll only take a moment."

And before Ron could get a word in edgewise, Chris was leading him out through the throngs of guests and toward the back patio. As soon as he had stepped outside, he was met with a blast of cold, biting wind that cut through his robes and his clothes to his skin, causing him to shiver involuntarily. There were patches of slushy, melting snow scattered out across the grass and glistening on the tops of the trees and bushes that surrounded the area and the sky was a dark, murky black that threatened of an impending storm that night.

Chris closed the door behind them and stood next to Ron, looking out at the landscape. To say that it was not slightly awkward would be a lie. Ron, as was well known, had never been too fond of Chris, and his dislike seemed to only have grown. Now, being the night before the impending nuptials, Ron's dislike for the man seemed to be reaching an all time high, and standing out there in the bitter cold with him, alone, was not adding any feelings of warmth or love towards him either.

Chris breathed in deeply and sighed. "How are you tonight, Ron?"

"Fine." Ron swallowed down every nasty and biting retort that burned inside his gut, just itching to be said.

"That's good, that's good."

Silence.

"So do you think you're ready for tomorrow?"

Ron faltered slightly and looked curiously over at Chris. "Er... I suppose..." Steadily, he could feel his patience starting to wear thing as he stood there shivering.

"Chris, not to sound rude or anything, but what is this all about? Why are we standing out here freezing our arses off, making small talk about nothing when we could just as well be doing this inside?"

Chris didn't miss the slightly bitter tone in Ron's voice and looked over at him with mild apprehension. "Ron, I wanted to talk to you in private. I apologize that we had to come out here but I felt that it was the only way that we could actually be alone." Ron watched as Chris breathed deeply and couldn't help but notice the fact that he seemed to be avoiding Ron's gaze. Finally, he looked over at Ron and spoke.

"I just want you to know that I know all about you and Hermione."

You could have knocked Ron over with a feather. His face immediately drained of all color as he stood staring back at Chris, absolutely frozen. His stomach plummeted and his throat tightened, making it hard to breathe or swallow. With clammy hands and a dry mouth, Ron stuttered, "You—know. Everything..."

Chris nodded. "Of course. How could I not? I mean, you two are part of the famous Hogwarts Trio and I am going to be married to Hermione in less than twenty four hours. Don't you think it would be a bit ridiculous if I didn't know?"

Ron couldn't think. "Erm...yeah..." he said distantly.

Chris smiled suddenly. "I have to admit, I was a right fool when we first met. It didn't even dawn on me until afterwards that you _are_ just who you are." He laughed. "And there I stood, introducing you to one of your oldest friends like you'd never even met before!"

Ron's ears perked hopefully at the word friend.

_'Does he know...?'_

__

Chris shook his head, chuckling. "You must have thought me a right prat for being so oblivious. Of course, you and Hermione just played along like nothing was wrong, for which I'm still not sure if I'm more relieved or embarrassed by, but still, had I not realized that you and Hermione were so close because of your school days, I might have been a bit suspicious of your relationship you know." This time, Chris laughed outright.

Ron's head was spinning. "Might have been?"

_'Meaning, you're NOT suspicious? Meaning, you have NO IDEA???' _

__

"Of course! Wouldn't you be? I mean, I really don't have any reason to act that way because I know Hermione and I know she would never do anything that would hurt me and you would never do anything that could jeopardize your career as an Auror, but still, since you two are already so close, it would have seemed a bit dodgy to anyone who didn't know about your friendship. You two grew up together and if I had told Hermione that I didn't want you to walk her down the aisle, then I would probably not be standing here right now, hours from my wedding day."

At Ron's dumfounded silence, Chris continued happily. "That's really why I came out to talk to you. It must have been a bit surprising that I just seemed to let you take the place of her father to escort her down the aisle. You are her best friend in the world Ron and if I denied her the right to pick who she wants to give her away, then I wouldn't be a very good husband."

Chris looked away smiling, his cheeks donning the faintest color of pink. "To be honest, I have been a bit...jealous of yours and Hermione's relationship."

Ron shook his head. "Jealous?" he mumbled.

"You two have such an amazing past together and you know each other so well that I just... sometimes I can't help but wish that Hermione would act that way with me. She just seems so carefree and comfortable when she's with you." He turned to Ron and lowered his voice. "Just between you and me, sometimes I wonder if she really wants to get married."

Ron still stood in shock. Chris, the man who Ron had been so envious of, who he had plotted against, cursed, and basically disliked so greatly for so long was now coming to him for help. The look in his eyes was that of a man desperate for reassurance from a close friend; someone he could trust. His eyes held a hopeful glow in them which was mixed slightly with a look of fear and desperation. It was obvious just how much he loved Hermione and for the first time since meeting him, Ron couldn't help but sympathize with him.

In truth, they were both suffering from the same problem. They both were jealous of the other's relationship with Hermione, they were both insecure, and they both loved her. The feeling of empathy that seemed to be growing inside of Ron caused a slight twinge of guilt for ever being so hard on the man. He had spent so much time and energy trying to gain Hermione's love back while silently cursing Chris that he hadn't even realized that now Chris considered him a close confidant. But now here they stood, as Chris came to the one person who knew Hermione best, to ask for help on how to love her. Oh, the irony of it all...

Ron cleared his throat nervously. "I didn't know you felt that way. I always thought you were so lucky because you have everything in the world and yet you were actually jealous of me because of my friendship with Hermione." He laughed uneasily. "That has to be a first..."

"Look Ron. I'm coming to you because I want you to know that I'm okay with yours and Hermione's friendship now. I mean, yes, I still sometimes wish that I could act the way you do with her, but now I've come to realize something. Hermione and I are still young and getting to know one another. But even though you two are close, she and I have time to get to where you two are now. We have the rest of our lives to become each other's confidants." He smiled a goofy grin that radiated joy and love. "I love her dearly, Ron, and I know you have taken care of her for a long time, for which I'm very grateful. But now I get to do it. And I just want to thank you for being such a good friend to her for so long."

Ron didn't know what to say. He stood, speechless at the kind words that Chris had said. "No problem," he chocked.

The guilt he felt was reaching an all time high as he stood next to Chris, looking out over the cool, crisp night. Inside his mind, a fierce battle was waging. Conflicting feelings towards both Hermione and Chris seemed to clash persistently, leaving him feeling weary from the exertion.

__

_'How can I tell Hermione how I feel after what Chris just said? It's just... wrong...'_

"So, shall we—"

Chris' sentence was cut short by a loud, piercing scream coming from inside the house. The two men glanced, horrified, at each other, then without a single word, made a mad dash for the door.

----------------

_Wow, please don't hate me. Life started up again and although this has been sitting on the back burner for a while, I never once forgot about it. It only took so long because I literally only got to work on one paragraph or so at a time. So again, I apologize from the very bottom of my heart and hope that you all will be very forgiving and not be too angry. Hopefully, I've kept you all in enough suspense however and rekindled your love for the story and are dying to know how it ends. I promise, it's getting there! Trust me, these next few chapters are going to be a doozy. _

_Well, while I can't give you a date as to when the next chapter will be, I will promise that never again will I go so long without an update._

_Thank you so much for being supportive, for all the wonderful comments you've left me, and for reading my story! _

_All my love, _

_Bella _


	14. Delicate

_**And now, an exceptionally loooong apology from your very guilty author, BellaMia**:_

_All right. I usually HATE writing author notes before the chapter but I have a feeling that this one is an exception. So first, allow me to clear up some rumors/misconceptions that have seemed to have run rampant through both email and comments I have received._

_1) No, I am not dead. I did not die, nor have I ever died before. If I am dead, I do hope that someone will inform me of this so that I am not left like Professor Binns left to continue on for eternity living my life when really, I shouldn't be._

_2) I was not in any horrific accident. I was deathly sick for about 3 weeks and had a ridiculous amount of personal obligations that I had to attend to, which personally, I thought would be the death of me, but I am still here, I have been here all along, and I promise you, I shant be leaving anytime soon._

_3) I have NOT STOPPED WRITING THE STORY! Nor have I just given up. Have some faith, people! I love this story and I love all of you, believe it or not. I will explain my absence in just a moment, but no matter how long it takes me, if anything else, I promise that I will at least tell you if I ever plan on stopping this story (which, I won't be, so no worries.)_

_Okay. So, I'm back kids. That's right, ol' Bella's back with a vengeance and nothing's gonna stop me now. _

_First, I need to apologize profusely for making you wait in agony for as long as I did. I know many of you got angry and I have received many emails and comments begging me to continue on or at least give some sort of update as to why it was taking so damn long. I know it probably just pissed you all off more when it seemed like I was ignoring your requests, but please, let me explain. I wasn't ignoring you; not in the least. I heard every one of your pleas and I read your every word, and trust me, I felt your pain. And while I probably should have wrote back responses to at least your comments, I stopped doing that a while back because I thought that no one read them anyway and it just got to the point where I spent much too much time writing responses and giving out details to the story rather than actually writing it. _

_As for not writing a note of explanation in the form of an update, I have a personal rule against writing a chapter that is merely an a/n only because I just hate it when an author does that. Of course, if you do it, whatever, more power to you, but it's just not for me. So hopefully, you can forgive me._

_Anyway, to sort of sum up what's been happening in my life, I shall say at least this; I've been busy as f. Trust me, I would have liked more than anything to have been able to write. But I honestly NEVER could. My teachers and personal life are killing me. Thank God for Spring Break. _

_This chapter has been in the makes for quite some time now. However, as I got further in, I reached the worst case of writer's block I have ever experienced in my life. I mean, it got to the point to where I couldn't even look at the story because my head started pounding and I would get so frustrated, I was often tempted to just throw my computer out the window. Thankfully, it never came to that. A lot of my problem also stemmed from the fact that this year, I've been taking advanced English and never before have I ever felt so inadequate as a writer as I do now. And I love my teacher. But damn, did my self esteem and confidence plummet. I've just lost a lot of my faith in myself as a writer and to say that that didn't affect my writing of this story would be a lie. _

_But it was you all who stuck with me and wrote me those angry letters where you expressed both your love and hatred of me all at the same time that made me realize that no, I don't suck. Maybe I'm not a perfect writer, but I'm good! People like reading my story and I can't keep punishing them or myself because I'm scared. So thank you, all of you, for being your amazing selves._

_So please, don't hate me. I'm so terribly sorry for making you wait and trust me, it sucked for me just as much as it did for you. I love this story and although I know what I want to happen, sometimes writing it is just a pain in the ass. So forgive me. _

_And now, on to the long awaited chapter and the triumphant return of TANGLED! _

_(F.Y.I.: In case you forgot, when we last left our characters, it was the eve of Hermione's and Chris' wedding. Ron was fighting with himself about whether or not he should tell Hermione how he felt for her. He also was plagued by haunting dreams/memories of both his and Hermione's first kiss, but also the final battle with Voldemort in which he almost lost Hermione. At the end of the chapter, Chris and Ron had a talk about Hermione and their respective relationships with her, but were cut short in their discussion as a scream from the party inside was heard._

_Enjoy.)_

**_qp.qp.qp.qp.qp.qp._**

**Chapter 14 **

**Delicate**

He stood inside St. Mungo's, his black dress robes a stark contrast to his white, sterile surroundings, and stared at the different clumps of people that milled around the waiting room. A small group of Healers stood huddled together speaking in low voices, while occasionally sending small glances over in his direction as well as the others who had come from Rhiney Manor.

Tony stood off to the side talking to Kingsley who had come and met them after stopping by the house to question different guests. And sitting in a couple of chairs in the middle of the waiting room were Chris and Hermione, both quiet and pale as they held each other's hands. Hermione's eyes were red and puffy from crying and every so often, she would give a feeble sniffle to which Chris would immediately squeeze her hand lovingly and whisper gently into her ear.

Ron pushed down his bitterness and forced himself to look away. It wasn't a surprise that as he watched, he immediately felt that he should be the one holding Hermione close to him as he whispered loving reassurances into her ear. That was his job; always had been. The thought of some other man taking that from him made Ron literally feel sick to his stomach. And yet, there he stood, silent, as Chris stroked Hermione's hair and spoke soft reassurances into her ear.

"Ron?"

Kingsley waved the young Auror over to where he stood speaking to Tony in the corner. Ron sighed and walked over solemnly, ignoring the itching desire to glance over at Hermione as he passed her.

"I think I'm going to head off for now. I trust that you two will be able to gather the information that is needed. Harry and Ginny have already taken care of everything back at Mr. Rhiney's home so there shouldn't be anything to worry about there. I asked Ginny to give the maid a dose of sleeping draught to help her calm down and fall asleep and Harry's owled me to let me know that he was able to get a vague but substantial enough retelling of the events leading up to her finding Mr. Benson's body." Kingsley shook his head mournfully. "It's very unfortunate that this had to happen, especially tonight of all nights. However, we must remember that wedding or no wedding, we are still conducting an investigation and I do expect complete documentation on what occurred tonight."

"Is there still going to be a wedding tomorrow at all?" Tony asked incredulously.

"As far as I know and from what I gathered from Mr. Rhiney, it would seem so, yes. Hermione did seem a bit… hesitant at the idea, but it was finally decided that it's the right thing to do." Kingsley turned to Ron. "Ron, Chris asked me to tell you that he would like for you to take Hermione home so that she can get some sleep. He wants to stay for a while longer until he can talk to one of the Healers but he wants her to rest up for tomorrow. Tony, you will stay with Chris until he is done here, but make sure that it's not too long."

Ron and Tony both nodded their agreement and Ron glanced quickly over to where Chris and Hermione sat. Chris was now stroking Hermione's hair tenderly as he whispered into her ear again. As if sensing someone's eyes on him, Chris looked up and met Ron's gaze. He gave a faint smile and nod, then looked back down at Hermione.

"I'll see the both of you tomorrow morning then. Goodnight."

"'Night, Kingsley," Tony responded. As Kingsley Disapparated behind them, Tony then turned his attention to Ron. "Look, it's getting really late. Maybe you should take her home now and get her into bed. She looks exhausted and she really needs to get some sleep before tomorrow."

"You'll send word about Benson's condition before you get home, won't you? Hermione won't listen to a word I say unless she hears something."

Tony smiled briefly. "Poor girl only cares about Benson. She doesn't even care about her own wedding. Yeah, I'll send an owl as soon as we hear something and I'll let you know how much longer we'll be here."

"All right. 'Night then, Tony."

"Night, Ron."

With a deep breath, Ron turned and headed over to where the couple sat. As he approached, Chris stopped talking and both of them looked up expectantly at Ron. He cleared his throat uneasily.

"Er… look, I know that you won't want to do this Hermione, but Kingsley told me that I should take you home so that you can get some rest."

Hermione blinked up at him.

"I'm not leaving," she stated simply. As if to prove her point, she crossed her arms defiantly over her chest and set her jaw.

"Come on love, you know you need to get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow and I know for a fact that you have much more to do in order to get ready for it." Chris played with one of the small curls in her hair and looked at her reassuringly. "Just go home now and get to bed and I swear that I will let you know everything as soon as I get home. I'll wake you up if you want me to."

Hermione looked at him, then to Ron, then back at Chris again, obviously outraged. Ron prepared himself for her imminent eruption. "How can you just try to send me home like some child while Benson lies in some hospital bed dying! I cannot believe you! Wedding or no wedding, I don't care! That man is one of the sweetest, kindest, most loyal men I've ever met in my life and I refuse to just leave him here to go sleep so that I can be ready for my wedding tomorrow! Do you realize just how selfish that is?"

"Hermione please—" Chris started.

"No, Christopher. I am not a child and I will not be ordered around. You may be my fiancée but you do not have the right to boss me around and tell me what to do!" Hermione's eyes had glassed over with tears once again and she sniffled indignantly. "It's bad enough that we are going to go through with the ceremony tomorrow anyway, but now you want me to just abandon him in his time of need?"

Chris had gone pale now and struggled. "Hermione, I just—I mean, honestly, I—"

"Hermione, be smart about this," interjected Ron. "Chris isn't trying to boss you around, he's just trying to look out for you, and he's right too. You do have a lot to do tomorrow and it will just be better if you get to bed as soon as you can and try not to focus on this too much. It's not selfish at all. You know that Benson would want you to be happy." Ron's voice got gentler as he said this and Hermione studied him closely, her expression softening. A look passed between the two and Chris glanced back and forth from Ron to Hermione, watching their faces as they gazed at one another. Finally, Hermione sighed.

"I'm sorry, Chris. Really, I am. I just…"

Chris, obviously relieved, smiled and kissed her forehead. "I know. Just go home and rest. Please?"

Hermione nodded and stood up from her chair. "You promise to let me know everything as soon as you can?"

Chris nodded. "I promise, love."

She smiled weakly and turned to Ron. "I suppose we should head out then?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah. Let's go home."

With a small wave to Tony and short goodbye to Chris, Ron pulled out his wand and Disapparated back into the foyer of Rhiney Manor.

_**qp.qp.qp.qp.qp.qp.**_

As soon as Ron had arrived inside the house, he could instantly feel a strange coldness creep up his spine. He shivered and tried to shake off his feelings of foreboding, but found himself botching their faces as they gazed at one another. Finally, Hermione sighed.

"I'm sorry, Chris. Really, I am. I just…"

Chris, obviously relieved, smiled and kissed her forehead. "I know. Just go home and rest. Please?"

Hermione nodded and stood up from her chair. "You promise to let me know everything as soon as you can?"

Chris nodded. "I promise, love."

She smiled weakly and turned to Ron. "I suppose we should head out then?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah. Let's go home."

With a small wave to Tony and short goodbye to Chris, Ron pulled out his wand and Disapparated back into the foyer of Rhiney Manor.

As soon as Ron had arrived inside the house, he could instantly feel a strange coldness creep up his spine. He shivered and tried to shake off his feelings of foreboding, but found himself bombarded by images from earlier that night.

Immediately after he and Chris had heard the scream, they had come rushing back into the house only to find Benson on the ground in the middle of the foyer, pale as snow and unmoving while Cecile stood above him, her hands over her mouth and her whole body trembling. At the sight of the two men and the other guests filling the room to see what all the commotion was about, she began sobbing uncontrollably and sank to the ground. Chris rushed to help her up while Tony and Ron ran to Benson's side. Hermione flooed St. Mungo's at Ron's request and that was how they all had ended up there.

As Kingsley had said, Harry and Ginny had taken care of everything back at the manor; they cleared all the guests out while making sure the remnants from their dinner was cleaned up by the staff. They also calmed Cecile down and gave her a sleeping draught to help her sleep. Still, Ron, although not a particular fan of the French maid, was worried about her. She seemed more than just upset at the condition of Benson as they took him to the hospital, and the prospect of trying to garner information about what had happened seemed to be quite daunting.

The sound of a light pop! to his right brought Ron out of his reverie. He turned and saw Hermione standing next to him now, her face pale and her expression solemn. She gazed up at him and gave a feeble smile. Ron nodded back.

"You all right?"

She nodded. "Just tired."

"Let's get you up to bed, then."

He led her up the stairs and down the hall to her bedroom. Opening the door, he let her in, then stood in the frame, watching her walk slowly to the middle of the room. Her movements were weary and weighted down by the events from the night. She looked utterly exhausted and about ready to collapse. Ron shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, goodnight then."

Hermione spun around to face him. "You're going to bed?"

Ron looked confused. "Well, no, I can't just yet. But aren't you? I mean, you look knackered and you do have a wedding to attend tomorrow." He tried hard not to grimace as he said this.

Hermione however, rather than looking pleased as Ron had expected, just gave a small, sad smile and walked over to her bed, sitting gently on top of it. She looked down at her hands which sat folded in her lap, her expression unreadable. When she spoke, her voice was soft and somber.

"I still can't believe it you know."

Ron gulped. "Can't believe what?"

"That I'm getting married, and to Chris of all people. Don't get me wrong, Chris is a wonderful man, I just… never imagined that he would be the one that I would end up with someday."

Ron walked into the room and tentatively sat down next to Hermione on her bed. "Hermione… I, er… well, why did you say yes to Chris? If you never thought that he would be the one for you, why would agree to marry him?"

She sighed and was silent a moment, still staring down at her carefully folded hands. "He cares about me and I care about him. Chris wants to take care of me for the rest of our lives and he wants me to be happy. He's a good man with a good job and a good life and although it was nothing like I imagined when I was younger, it's not horrible. Chris makes me happy and he's already done so much for me… as awful as it may sound, when he proposed, I almost felt I couldn't say no because I was just following the course of things."

Ron felt something click inside of him and tried hard to keep from getting angry. What was she saying, she felt she _had_ to say yes? "Hermione, just because he's good to you and takes care of you doesn't mean you should marry the man. Marriage is such a sacred thing that is based on love, not convenience."

His voice began to gain more momentum as he spoke and he felt something growing inside of him as he spoke; a slow desperation to make her understand that she shouldn't do this, that she **couldn't** do this. "Don't make yourself miserable just so that you don't have to worry about maybe offending him or, heaven forbid, hurting his precious feelings! _Your_ feelings are more important than that."

Hermione looked at Ron, her eyes wide with bewilderment. "I'm not miserable and I'm not marrying him out of convenience! Chris loves me and I know that I'll be happy with him."

Ron stood up and faced her as she sat on the bed. "You won't be happy with him because you'll always wonder, 'what if?' What if you had waited longer, what if you'd met someone else? Hermione, you're young, smart, talented, and gorgeous; you deserve better than this! You shouldn't settle for the first good thing that comes along!"

Hermione's face went pink as she gaped up at him. "What are you talking about? _Settling_? Chris is a wonderful, thoughtful, loving man who wants to spend the rest of his life with me. How on earth is that settling?" Her voice, although still baffled, was now tinged with a slight annoyance as well as fear.

Ron jumped in again. "You just said that you never thought you would marry him and that the only reason why you agreed to his proposal was because you were afraid of hurting his feelings and seeming ungrateful!"

Now Hermione stood up from off the bed and faced Ron, her tone clearly angry now. "That's not what I said! I said that yes, I felt I couldn't say no because he had been so wonderful to me, but that wasn't the only reason why. I wanted to marry Chris! He loves me—"

"Do you love him?"

"Excuse me?"

Ron stared into her eyes. "Do you love him, Hermione? Tell me the truth, and I don't mean loving him as a person but as a boyfriend and future husband. Are you _in_ love with him?"

Hermione stood, gaping for a moment, her face rapidly draining color. Ron took a step closer, his voice a low rumble and spoke slowly.

"Do you love him, Hermione?"

"I…" she stuttered. She wanted desperately to get away from him but his eyes were so entrancing…

"I…don't know…"

Something inside Ron exploded and instantly he was filled with feelings of love and passion, victory and desire, and the desperation of a man faced with his last chance at finding love. His heart was racing and he could hardly breathe as he stood before her, staring into her dark, brown eyes.

"Don't…" he choked.

"Don't what?" she asked nervously.

"Don't marry him."

Hermione's eyes got wide. "What…?"

"Don't marry Chris tomorrow, Hermione. You can't—" his voice cracked slightly and he grew silent.

She didn't break her gaze with him. "Why?" she asked in breathless anticipation.

Ron could hardly breathe. This was it. He was going to say to her the words that he had been wanting to tell her since that day three years ago when he pushed her away. The three words that he had let another man say to her while he had stood watching from the side, knowing all along that he was the only one who would ever feel that way about her and knowing all along that she felt the same for him and only him. The three words that he would whisper to her when he knew she couldn't hear, and that he had ached to say.

The three words that meant both everything and yet nothing even remotely close to what he really felt for her.

"Because I'm in love you, Hermione. I love you."

Her eyes filled with tears and as she closed them to try and stop the tears from falling, one rolled down her soft cheek. Ron leaned forward and kissed at the trail the small droplet had left, tasting the salt from it. This simple action alone broke the silence between them and in a moment, Hermione was sobbing hard into Ron's chest, clutching him close to her. Immediately, Ron had his arms around her, breathing her in and practically jumping for joy at the feel of her in his arms again. He stroked her hair and rubbed her back up and down, whispering reassuringly into her ear just as Chris had done for her earlier.

He then kissed her forehead tenderly and continued to kiss at her tears as they fell at a rapid pace. As he leaned in to kiss her wet cheeks again, Hermione pulled her head back slightly and stared up into his face. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and her cheeks were stained from her trails of tears but none of that mattered. She looked into his eyes and in that moment, everything was perfect. They brought their heads together, each slightly tilting one way and their lips met, causing a currant of electrical bolts to go soaring through them.

Fireworks exploded behind Ron's eyelids as he kissed her with more passion. He brought his hand up to her face, letting it run through her soft, curly hair. She still clung to his robes desperately and as they kissed he could feel the tears that continued to roll soundlessly down her cheeks.

He kissed her harder, trying desperately to stop the onslaught of tears as he felt his own throat start to tighten slightly. He held her close to him kissing her passionately and could feel every last bit of sanity that he had start to ebb away. However, Hermione seemed to realize what was happening and pulled away, unable to stop her sobs as they racked her body. Ron tried to pull her close again, but she just pushed back at him again, unwilling to look up into his crystal blue eyes.

"Hermione…"

"Why?" she sobbed, her head buried in her hands.

"Why what?" he asked, confused.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

Ron stared at her in shock. "Doing what to you? What am I doing wrong?"

She looked up at him with bloodshot eyes. "I'm engaged! I'm getting married tomorrow and you tell me you love me on the eve of my wedding day, and you don't know what you're doing wrong!"

She turned from him and walked to her bed. Ron followed her is shock. This wasn't exactly as he had pictured things going.

"Hermione, please, just hear me out."

She whipped around and faced him again, her gaze fiery and piercing. "You told me that you didn't love me! You _told_ me, to my face, as I _cried_ and _begged_ for you to stop, that you didn't love me; that you had never loved me! That I was just a good time and that now that things were safe again, you didn't want to be 'held back'! But now you come and tell me that you love me! How dare you, Ron. How _dare_ you!"

Her words hit him like a Bludger in his stomach. His heart beat painfully in his throat and inside, he felt a mixture of unbridled rage, sadness and fear.

"You don't understand! Do you honestly think that I _wanted_ to say that to you? That I stood there thinking that it was easy? I loved you more than anything in the world!"

"Then why did you leave me!" she screamed.

"Because I was scared!"

She rolled her eyes angrily. "Of what?"

"Of losing you!" he yelled back, his face turning a dark shade of red.

The room went silent. Outside, the rain pounded hard against the house leaving rumbled threats. Hermione stared at Ron wide-eyed.

"I was scared of losing you," he repeated in a weary tone. He looked into her baffled eyes and continued on. "That night when Harry beat Voldemort and all of us got separated. And Bellatrix came in with those Death Eaters. And you—" he felt his throat tighten as images of Hermione's still form came floating into his mind. He took a deep breath and continued on. "You almost died that night. And all I could think as I held you in my arms was, 'If she dies, it's my fault.'

"You pushed me out of the way. You saved my life and almost died because of it. And even when you got better, I couldn't stop picturing it. I would wake up screaming because I would dream about it. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop the pictures from coming. And it just… it got to the point where I thought—" Ron's eyes burned as he tried to push down his tears. "I thought that if you were away from me, you would be safe; no one would ever be able to hurt you again."

Hermione stared silently, her eyes wide and tears still falling silently down her face. Slowly, she sat down on the edge of the bed, her gaze falling to her gently clasped hands that sat in her lap. Ron's shoulders slumped forward as he stared at the ground, his mind buzzing and his chest aching.

"You thought you were saving me?" Hermione said suddenly, her voice shaky.

Ron looked up at her hopefully. "Hermione, you have to believe me. I never would have done that to you unless I was one hundred percent certain that what I was doing was going to help you."

"But why not tell me? Why were you so… cold? So awful and terrible?" Her voice was strained with unshed tears. As she gazed up at Ron, the look on her face broke his heart.

He knelt in front of her and took her hands into his. "Because I was scared and because I'm the biggest prat in the world. I felt like I had to protect you, which I know is stupid because you are completely capable of taking care of yourself. But in my eighteen year old mind, it made sense. I knew that you would never just leave me unless I made Malfoy look like Mother Teresa, and that was a hard feat to accomplish, but I was so desperate to make sure you never got hurt again, I was willing to try it."

"I can't believe that you—"

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." He caressed her cheek, pushing her hair behind her ear. "I didn't deserve you then and I know I don't deserve you now, but I'm here before you now, on my knees, begging you to believe me when I say that I have always loved you."

He brought his face closer to hers, lowering his voice to a whisper that kissed her mouth with his warm breath. "I love you, Hermione Jane Granger and no matter what happens, I will always love you."

Hermione closed her eyes as another tear rolled gently down her face, and at that moment, Ron brought his mouth down upon hers, kissing her tenderly. She gasped slightly, but this quickly turned into a sigh, and as he kissed her again, she brought her hands up to his face and allowed him to deepen the kiss.

His hands roamed up and down her back, finally becoming entangled in her curly hair. He brought his mouth down to the nape of her neck and kissed it lightly, causing Hermione to gasp again. She muttered something inaudible, and Ron kissed at her soft skin beneath her ear. But as he continued to kiss her neck, Hermione suddenly pushed him away from her, causing him to fall back.

"No…" she said, standing up from the bed.

"What?" he asked as he stood up.

"No," she repeated, more firmly than before.

"Wait, Hermione," Ron started.

"No, Ron. I can't. **We** can't. This is wrong…" she said, shaking her head emphatically.

"Hermione, you can't do this! You can't just pretend not to care about me!" Ron yelled incredulously.

"You did," she replied quietly.

Ron stood hurt for a moment. "I won't let you do this. I won't let you throw away your life—"

"Marrying Chris would not be throwing away my life!" she yelled back.

"If you don't love him it will be!"

"You aren't doing this to me!" she growled.

"Doing what? Keeping you from making a mistake?" he yelled back.

"Keeping me from doing what is right!" she screamed.

"HOW IS IT RIGHT?" bellowed Ron in frustration. He pulled at his hair and growled angrily.

"Chris loves me—"

"Oh, _Chrissy_ loves you! **I** love you, Hermione!" He grabbed her face in his hands and stared into her brown, tear filled eyes. "And I know you love me too, and I'll be _damned_ if I let you get away again."

And with that, Ron pulled her up against him, holding her tightly, and kissed her soundly on the mouth. This time however, she didn't fight him. She didn't push him away or cry and scream at him for hurting her and lying to her. Instead, she clung to him, desperately kissing him back as if it were the last time she would ever get to.

Ron lifted her into his arms as she deftly wrapped her legs around his waist, still kissing him passionately. She kicked off her shoes and Ron clumsily stepped out of his shoes and socks as well. They landed off to the side of the room, the sound of them falling coincided with the crashing of lightning outside. The two of them somehow made their way to the bed where Ron laid Hermione down, hovering above her. With trembling hands, he undid the clasp on the back of her dress and carefully pulled it off of her body. She pushed his robes off his shoulders and unbuttoned the blue shirt he was wearing, tossing it to the side.

No words were spoken as Hermione, with trembling hands, unbuttoned and pulled off Ron's trousers. The only sound was that of their ragged breathing, the soft rustle of the sheets on the bed as well as the clothing being shed, and the loud, thunderous cries of the lightning outside the window.

Ron's mind was spinning. He didn't know how it had gotten to this, but now that it was here, he knew there was no turning back. He couldn't; but more importantly, he didn't want to. He had waited three years for this; for their passionate reunion. He was giddy and excited, but terrified at the same time. It was like their first time together relived.

However, the thing that worried him the most was the persistent nagging in the back of his mind. Despite his surety of Hermione's love for him, why hadn't she said it? And why, despite his overall feeling of euphoria, did he still have the unrelenting feeling that this passionate outburst was not out of love, but desperation? Desperation brought on by the fear of knowing that this was the end. That although she loved him and he loved her, there would never be anything after this night.

As Hermione left a trail of hot kisses down chest, he pushed all thoughts of fear and doubt from his mind. He would worry about that later, but for now, all that mattered was this.

He kissed her again, relishing the softness of her lips and the warmth of her breath on his cheek. Her hands were tangled up in his hair and she had locked her legs behind his back again. With even the slightest movement of her hips, Hermione sent shock waves up and down Ron's body, causing him to groan appreciatively. She giggled lightly, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck. This simple action caused a wave of emotion to overcome Ron. He had never loved her more than he did that very moment as he held her in his arms, their bodies pressed up against one another, and she laughed happily.

He pulled away for a moment, staring into her eyes. The love between them was palpable. Hermione smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling as she did so. Ron smiled back at her, his fear quelled in that one, innocent moment. And very slowly, he brought his head down to hers and kissed her gently.

And this time, they didn't stop.

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In the hours of the early morning, a soft light spilled gently in through frosted window panes. The soft, golden light crawled into the room, filling it, and landed happily upon a couple who lay sleeping in bed, framing them in the rays.

The two lay still, their only movement caused from their deep breaths from slumber. They were entwined together in a manner reserved for those who were only truly in love with one another and who had only reaffirmed this love a few hours before. The man lay flat on his back, the bright, white comforter and sheets falling across his lower abdomen but leaving his chest exposed. His head was tilted to the side and lay delicately atop his partner's as she lay beside him, her body curled up to his side. Her arm was draped over his bare chest and their fingers were entwined across it. The sheets were wrapped more securely around her body, but left her shoulders and legs exposed.

The man held her close to him in a protective manner that seemed to echo his protective nature from when he was awake. The woman snuggled closer to his side and instinctively, he drew her in closer to him, nuzzling his head into her curly hair.

The scene before him was beautiful, he couldn't deny it. Although he had contemplated waking them, after watching them sleep for a few minutes, he changed his mind. Why ruin this perfect moment? When they did finally awake, he knew that things between them would be hard enough. Saying goodbye is hard enough, and the last thing they needed was the added pressure of knowing they had been caught.

'_I'll allow them their stolen time together. It's all they have anyway, and what kind of man would I be to put a stop to it early?'_

He shut the door and turned out into the hallway. He looked down at his watch. 4:30. _'I'd better get to bed,' _he thought. _'I have quite a busy day.'_

**_qp.qp.qp.qp.qp.qp._**

_I know you all probably hate me, but at least express your anger in a more efficient way by reviewing and telling me about it. I mean, J.K.R. has taken long breaks between her books before and although we, her fans, always get a bit irrational, we all still love and adore her. So, while I'm not asking for that kind of devotion, I would appreciate the review. Thanks, and yes, I'm working on chapter 15. ;p No worries._

_**-Bella**_


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